Castaways 2: Homecoming
by Torquelith
Summary: Sam and Daniel return from Kaina and must adjust to life on the base, rumors, and twins. When a threat appears from Jack's past, those close to him become targets. Even Sara. Jack must act!
1. Chapter 1

_**Castaways 2:**_

"_**Homecoming, Part One"**_

**By Torquelith and Mara-DragonMaster**

* * *

The event horizon seared blue into the back of Sam's eyes. Her vision blurred and she winced at the brightness, blinking. Then it was gone, along with her team; gone to another world without her. She turned and walked slowly down the hall, her forefinger held tightly by a little blond girl.

"Daddy, bye bye?"

"Yes, honey. Daddy bye bye." Sam said, and she clenched her jaw, walking faster until her belly muscles clenched in protest. She was 34 weeks along with the twins. Not only was it difficult to move with her large belly, but her muscles and her back were just plain tired. "And here I am, waiting again." Her brows drew together in frustrated anger.

She and Daniel had agreed that only one of them would go off planet at a time for the sake of their daughter, and right now she wasn't going anywhere. Not until the twins came. She understood and accepted it; but she didn't have to like it.

She dropped Share' off at the daycare room and headed for her lab. Stepping through the door her elbow suddenly collided into a large motor sitting on a table, causing it to wobble and rock dangerously. Sam grabbed her elbow, biting off a string of words she no longer used since becoming a mother. She leaned forward, holding her arm, and started to walk to her desk and proceeded to smack her small toe into the table leg. Giving an enraged shout she turned and dropped into the chair in front of the desk and pulled her leg sideways, till she could finally– if barely– reach her toe, and she closed her eyes, holding it.

After the throbbing lessened, her eyes opened slightly and she looked around the room. Every surface was covered with odd miscellaneous mechanical artifacts that had been found by the team while she and Daniel were marooned. Jack had very thoughtfully saved all of them for her, hiding them away from the other curious scientists. Her mouth curved in a rueful smile.

"I knew that whatever the other scientists couldn't figure out would be just right for you, so I saved it all. I knew you'd get back eventually." Jack had said with a nonchalant shrug.

"Thanks, Colonel." She had said, glancing around. "I just wish you didn't trust me so much."

She sighed. Daniel's room didn't look any better. In fact, Jack had boxes waiting in the storage facility for him. Of course, Daniel was thrilled and actually hated going off planet– which meant leaving his notebooks and study. (And – she liked to think – herself and Share'.)

Running her fingers through her hair, she smiled at the feel of the short locks against her palms. When they had returned to the SGC and settled in, she had decided to cut her hair but had checked with Daniel first, and was relieved to discover that he loved her hair however she did it, and was fine with her having short hair again. So she had gone in and got it pixie cut. When she got back she had found Daniel studying himself in the mirror with a thoughtful expression, trying to decide if he should also cut his hair. With a smile Sam had leaned close and whispered something into his ear, and he had blushed; and kept his long hair.

Picking up her latest project, smiling, Sam slipped it under a spectrometer.

* * *

Jack lifted his gun up and peered at the distant hills through the sight. "Hmmmm, not very populated, is it?"

Daniel squinted, looking through his binoculars at the nearby vegetation. Tall, mossy trees formed a dense forest canopy, and huge ferns towered high, twice as tall as a man. The air was thick and humid, with dust motes floating through the beams of light that filtered down through the leaves to the forest floor below. Monkey-like calls echoed and hooted through the forest, some near, and some far, and occasionally a tree branch would suddenly shake as something moved through the trees.

Jack pointed with the tip of his gun. "Daniel, is that a trail I see?"

Daniel looked, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I think so." He said. "It could lead to a village or something."

Teal'c nodded.

"Alright." Jack said, glancing at his two companions. "Let's go."

The trail was overgrown and narrow, leading through the undergrowth in a westerly direction. All around them were the strange calls and cries, and suddenly they saw, leaping from one high tree branch to another, a very small creature with long silky fur. As it landed it turned to look down on them, a golden-orange figure amidst the green leaves.

For twenty minutes they hiked on, with Daniel turning and spotting in every direction carefully. Suddenly all three of them drew up short as the undergrowth shivered on one side, and out came a large green lizard with six legs, squirming with amazing speed across the path and into the ferns on the other side. A moment later they saw it circling up a tree trunk, coming up under another unsuspecting furred creature that was eating a piece of fruit.

Jack made a face a second later, and shook his head. "Ew."

Continuing on they came across a small clearing near a little stream that ran alongside the path. In the center of the clearing, with new little trees starting to grow up around and inside it, was a small half-built building, which was beginning to crumble and fall apart.

Daniel stopped and set his hands on his hips, eyeing it curiously. "Huh." He said.

"What?" Jack asked.

"Well, it's just interesting," Daniel mused. "That the building is obviously falling apart, yet it looks like it was never finished in the first place."

"Colonel O'Neill. Over here." Teal'c called. He was standing next to a tipped over cart. Scattered about were Goa'uld supply crates and pallets, all broken and thrown about.

"Well this doesn't look good." Jack commented, following Daniel over to Teal'c's side.

Daniel bent down and picked something up with both hands. "Um, Jack?"

He held two pieces of a Goa'uld pain stick. Where it had been broken in half there were deep teeth marks.

Teal'c pulled up his staff, scanning the jungle around them.

Jack set his gun to his shoulder. "I have a very bad feeling about this."

Daniel dropped the broken pain stick, and brought up his own gun.

Just then a high, soft chirping sound caught their attention, and they whirled around to face the path again. Standing in the middle of the path was a small creature that they could only describe as looking like a raptor, the only difference being that it had five fingers, not three.

"Ohhh boy." Jack groaned.

The small raptor eyed them, blinking, and then it lifted its nose into the air and emitted more chirps. It did not appear to be aggressive. It seemed to be curious, and kept eyeing them, and then chirping some more, as though saying hello.

"Jack," Daniel whispered. "I think it's trying to communicate with us."

"I don't care." Jack hissed. "It's a _dinosaur_!"

"I know." Daniel said, with his gun still held ready. "Just thought I'd point it out."

"It is small." Teal'c observed. "Perhaps it is a young one?"

"If it is, there's a mother nearby." Daniel gritted.

"Right." Jack said. "Let's get out of here."

At that moment the ferns surrounding the clearing exploded, and three giant raptors rushed them. A moment later there was blackness.

* * *

Sam eyed the food in the commissary with trepidation, half balancing her tray on her stomach. One never knew what might be available. She smiled as she saw the choices; today was her lucky day.

"Mom-ma, ello pease?"

"Sure, honey." Sam said, grabbing a plate of spinach lasagna and one of chicken alfredo. "You want blue jello or red?"

Share' pressed her little nose against the glass of the refrigerator case, standing on her tiptoes. "Pink!"

"Okay." Sam opened the door, and had Share' hold it wide while she reached in herself and got a red jello cup. Grinning, her bottom lip held in her teeth, Share' closed the door and toddled over to a booth. Sam got them each a carton of milk, then she joined her daughter. Setting the tray on the table she pulled over a highchair, and then held Share's hand as the little girl climbed up onto the bench. Then carefully, watching her feet the whole time, Share' climbed from the bench into the chair, with Sam helping to support her. Once she was seated Sam clicked the little highchair belt around Share's waist, and pulled the bib from her pocket and tied it around Share's neck. "There you go!" she said, smiling. Then, holding her breath, she squeezed in between the bench and the table.

"Mom-maaaa!" Share' whined, banging the highchair tray and reaching. "Mom-maaa! Ello!"

"Share'!" Sam frowned at her. "You ask nice."

Blue eyes widened and looked at her sweetly, Share's hands folding together. "Pease?"

"Good girl." Sam picked up the cup and shook a few of the jello cubes onto the tray. Share' picked one up between her thumb and forefinger and put it in her mouth. Then she looked at her mom, her blue eyes shining, and she made a long 'mmm' sound.

Sam smiled, cutting up some chicken into small bites, which she put on the tray with a few noodles. Then she picked up her own fork and started to eat. At one point she caught Share' carefully mashing a jello cube with her finger. "No, Share'." Sam scolded, grabbing the little girl's hand and wiping the finger clean with a napkin. "Don't squash your food. If you do that I'll take the jello away."

Share's eyes got big, and her bottom lip stuck out.

Sam cleaned up the smeared jello, then went back to eating her alfredo and lasagna.

Putting a noodle in her mouth, Share' pointed at Sam's spinach lasagna. "Mom-ma, pease?" she asked.

Sam blew on a small bite of the cheesy spinach and noodles, then held the fork out. Share' opened her mouth wide, leaning forward for Sam to put the food in her mouth, then she chewed contentedly, looking down at the food on her tray. She smacked her lips, then picked up a piece of chicken and put it in her mouth, and then tipped her head back and forth, chewing loudly.

When their meal was over, Sam held Share's hand as they made their way down the halls to Sam and Daniel's on-base quarters. As they walked and Share' babbled nonsense, with few intelligible words thrown in here and there, Sam made a list in her head of the things she wanted to get done while Share' took her nap. She wanted to review several different mission reports and all attached notes and video, hoping to find something that may have been forgotten that could be used against the Goa'uld. While Share' slept, she would have the opportunity to do so. As they walked Sam felt a twinge in her back, and she grimaced, reaching back with her hand to massage the area until the spasm left.

* * *

"Colonel O'Neill? Daniel Jackson? Are you awake?" Teal'c said quietly. He sat against the tree, his hands tied above his head and the rope looped and tied over a branch. He and his companions were bound around the tree, hands and waists; Teal'c and O'Neill were facing the forests, able to turn their heads to see the camp, but they would be unable to maintain that position for very long. Daniel was tied at the front, facing the camp directly.

When his question had gone unanswered for a minute, Teal'c tried again, keeping his voice low so as not to attract unwanted attention. "Colonel O'Neill, are you awake?"

There was a long, drawn out groan. "Owwwww…" Jack shifted beside him. "Oh, whoa. What hit me?"

"I believe it was a large wooden club." Teal'c replied, ignoring the slight throb of a bruise on his forehead.

Jack twisted to look at Teal'c. "Are you sure? I could have sworn it was a tree."

Teal'c merely raised an eyebrow.

Turning the other way, Jack craned his neck to see the final member of their group. "Hey, Danny boy." He said. "Wake up." There was a groan. "Daniel. Rise and shine."

"What…?" Daniel raised his head, which immediately tipped back against the tree, his eyes squinting shut. "Ow."

"Give it a second." Jack advised.

Daniel kept his eyes closed. "What happened?"

"Um– we've been captured," Jack said, glancing past Daniel at the camp. "By– large– dinosaurs, raptors." He frowned. "There's something distinctly not right about this." He muttered.

Opening his eyes, Daniel squinted. "My glasses are gone."

"Probably happened when they hit us with those trees."

"They were large wooden clubs, O'Neill." Teal'c corrected helpfully.

"Right." Jack said. "I knew that."

Daniel stared at the camp before him. There were large fires burning, and wooden lean-tos with large nests of leaves within them. Some raptors were carrying more wood in for the fires, and others were leading small deer-like creatures that were mottled green and brown, and these they secured with ropes to the same tree as SG1.

"Hey, excuse me," Daniel said, trying to get the raptor's attention. "Is there someone we could talk to? A leader, or something?"

The raptors glanced at him. One of them made some clicking and hissing sounds to the other, and they started to walk away.

"Wait!" Daniel called. In desperation he tried copying their clicks and hisses, hoping he was saying something they would understand. Although they did glance back, their look was one of disgust, and they continued to walk away.

From one of the lean-tos some large barrel-like items were brought out, looking like hollowed tree trunks, and then three of the raptors took up some wooden clubs, and began to beat upon them. A few others gathered around the fires and lifted their heads, belting out loud calls and trumpets that carried for miles. This continued for a long while, until in the distance they heard answering trumpets and drum beats, growing steadily closer. Through the trees and large ferns Daniel began to see another tribe of raptors coming, entering the camp in a large pack. When they reached the central fire, a single, smaller raptor stepped forward from the visiting pack. Daniel guessed it was a female. She extended her neck, and trumpeted loudly, the firelight dancing on mud-painted designs on her skin.

An answering trumpet came from among the native pack, and a large raptor painted with similar designs stepped forward towards the female.

"I think it's a wedding." Daniel whispered to his teammates, his eyes wide.

"Great." Jack said, beginning to squirm. "Can one of you get your hands free?"

"The ropes are tightly tied, but I shall attempt to do so." Teal'c answered.

Daniel moved carefully, since he was in direct sight of the camp. Suddenly he hissed, "They're coming over! Stay still!"

Some large raptors approached them, and untied the deer-like creatures who began to bleat desperately. Pulling them to the fires, the raptors tied them upon wooden spits, and then set them over the fires, still alive. Daniel stared in horror, his face going white as the screams of the dying deer filled the air.

"Oh, geez." Jack groaned, turning his head.

"Jack, I think I'm going to be sick." Daniel whispered.

"Focus on getting free instead." Jack ordered, his voice hard.

Looking up Daniel began to twist his hands, frantically trying to get loose of the ropes. In the center of the camp, the large painted raptor began trumpeting yet again, and bowing to the female raptor. He led her towards SG1. As they approached Daniel realized that hung about her neck was a belt of some sort with many long-furred pelts upon it.

"Uh oh." Daniel muttered, freezing. "Guys–"

The raptors reached them, and the male gave a low rumbling sound. The female walked around the tree, eyeing them, and she poked Teal'c appreciatively, and clacked her jaws. She moved on to Jack, and poked him, then moved on to Daniel. She poked at him as well, then she suddenly stopped, and stared at him. Daniel shrunk back. Her movements became slow and gentle, and she leaned forward, sniffing his hair, blowing out hot, wet breath onto his face. Then she reached out, and ran her claws delicately through his shoulder length brown locks, making a crooning sound as she did so, and her other hand strayed to her neck, where she fingered the pelts hanging there. Daniel's eyes grew large, and it suddenly became very difficult for him to breathe.

"Jack…"

Teal'c stared, the lines in his face deepening until his frown was heavy and harsh, his eyes becoming black. Jack pulled at his ropes, his own deep-set eyes like black coals. "Oh no you don't." he growled. "You're not scalping my boy."

Reaching up, the male cut the ropes and then presented them to the female, who crooned and rubbed her nose against him before accepting the ropes with a slight bow.

Turning she handed the ropes to several very large raptors, who then dragged SG1 to one of the fires. Jack and Teal'c were laid upon large wooden spits and tied, then lifted and set over two beds of red-hot coals. Jack gave a loud yell, and began blowing frantically as more wood was brought and laid next to the beds, struggling against his bindings. Daniel was thrown to the ground beside the fires, and a male pressed a knee and a hand upon him, holding him still. In his other hand he wielded a large machete made of wood, its edge honed sharp. Daniel gave a yell and began to struggle. Jack heard and looked up for a moment, and his eyes grew wide in horror.

"_Daniel!_"

* * *

Sam tried to concentrate on the mission report before her, but her back kept cramping. "Stupid chair." She frowned at the rigid office furniture and then gasped as her abdomen joined in. She stood slowly.

"Maybe Janet can give me something for these tired muscles." She walked slowly to the medical wing.

* * *

Daniel suddenly went very still, his blue eyes glittering up at the large raptor poised above him. Then his right hand whipped up and embedded his boot knife in the raptor's throat. It reared back and toppled, tail snapping wildly as it made gasping sounds. Daniel dragged himself to his knees and slashed quickly at his bindings.

The female raptor trumpeted and then suddenly, the camp went silent. She walked toward Daniel bobbing her head and cocking it to one side to eye him. Daniel backed toward Jack and Teal'c, and moving slowly as she watched, he pulled them away from the coals.

The other raptors surrounded them in a circle, bobbing their heads, but keeping their distance from Daniel and his ridiculously short knife. The female trumpeted again, and her new mate stepped forward toward Daniel. The drums began. The male drew closer and snapped at Daniel who jumped back and spun into a crouched position.

Jack watched from his side in the dirt. "Watch your back, they move fast."

Daniel feinted toward the raptor, who snapped at him, only Daniel wasn't there. He rolled by, slashing at the raptor's underbelly as he passed. The male screeched in rage as blood trickled ran free. Daniel panted and moved slowly around the circle. The raptor came raging toward him and grazed his shoulder as Daniel dodged. Once again, Daniel slashed, catching the tail with his knife.

The raptor spun, and the tail smashed Daniel across the back, throwing him across the circle into Jack and Teal'c.

"Any suggestions?" he gritted.

"Move faster." Teal'c answered.

"Move faster." Daniel muttered to himself as he rose to face the raptor again.

The female was thrumming in her throat and beating her tail on the ground rhythmically. The male thrummed to her and then trumpeted at Daniel. As he was trumpeting, Daniel launched himself in a spinning kick that caught it in the jaw which was snapping toward his leg. As Daniel fell in a roll, he slashed again across the neck and belly of the male. Roaring in fury, the male snapped at Daniel who rolled and leaped. Suddenly, the roar ended abruptly and the male halted, wavering drunkenly. Daniel stood and watched as the large male toppled, Daniel's knife in its eye.

The female stopped thrumming and crooned softly. Then she stood upright and walked toward Daniel. He crouched, prepared to fight again. She delicately fingered the scalps at her belt, eyed her fallen mate, and then she bowed before him. The rest of the raptors bowed immediately.

"Daniel, now would be a good time to cut our ropes." Jack suggested.

Daniel yanked his knife from the fallen male and cut the ropes on Jack and Teal'c who stood slowly. The raptors kept their heads down, thrumming in the back of their throats.

Walking slowly backward, the three of them eased their way out of the clearing. The raptors moved forward and lifted their fallen leader over their heads, still thrumming.

* * *

Meanwhile Sam was in labor. "I am a Major in the U.S. Air Force, and I am _not_ having these babies without Daniel!"

Janet smiled as she prepped her. "I've told General Hammond who is contacting the team right now."

* * *

Daniel ran through the event horizon and stumbled to a stop on the metal ramp.

"Welcome home soldier. You're to report to the infirmary immediately!" General Hammond announced over the loudspeaker.

"I'm fine General," Daniel reassured, hands on his knees as he caught his breath. "I'll wait for the rest of the team."

"I don't think your wife will like the wait."

Daniel frowned. Then– as comprehension dawned– his eyes widened, and he took off running from the room, to General Hammond's chuckles over the speaker. He ignored the stares and exclamations as he ran through the halls, knowing that he probably made quite a sight with his wild hair and covered in blood. Bursting through the infirmary door he was met by Janet, who had been forewarned by General Hammond that he was coming.

"Hold it right there!" she commanded, holding up her hand.

Daniel pulled in a deep breath. "Where's Sam?"

"She is in the other room, but there is no way I am letting you in there like that." Janet said, indicating his appearance.

Daniel glanced down at himself.

"Shower. Now."

"But…"

"You have time. Now go."

Biting back another protest Daniel sighed in frustration, clenching his jaw as he glanced longingly at the door leading to his wife. Then he turned and headed for the infirmary showers. As he left Janet smiled, her eyes twinkling.

After the fastest shower known to man, Daniel threw on the clothes he found waiting for him on the bench in the changing room– pants and a t-shirt– and then he hurried out and through the infirmary into the delivery room. Sam reclined in the bed, her hair already damp and sticking to her face, panting as she released the bars next to the bed. When Daniel entered the room she looked up, and her face relaxed in relief.

"Oh thank goodness!" she exclaimed, reaching one hand towards him. "Now I can push!"

Daniel smiled, taking her hand and brushing her hair from her forehead. "Don't worry, I'm here."

Janet looked over from her position next to the monitors, and her eyes scanned Daniel from his head to his feet. "Well, you appear to be in one piece. Anything I should know about?"

Daniel glanced up briefly. "Scratch on my shoulder; nothing serious. The soap felt lovely."

Janet's mouth quirked. "I can imagine. Why don't you let me take a look."

Sam groaned, her grip on Daniel's hand suddenly increasing. "I can wait." He told Janet. Then he directed all his attention to Sam. "You're doing great, honey. Just keep breathing."

"I'm– trying–" she panted, hanging on to him for dear life. When the contraction was over she leaned back into the pillow. "Oh boy." Then she looked at him and smiled, reaching up and tucking a wet strand of hair behind his ear.

Daniel turned his face and kissed her fingers. "How you doing?"

"Okay." She nodded. Turning she looked at Janet. "Please tell me I'm ready."

Janet checked a few things, then looked at her with shining eyes. "You're ready." Settling down by the end of the bed she nodded. "Okay, Sam. Now _push_!"

Ten minutes later two small voices filled the room with loud cries. Janet wrapped each baby in little blue blankets, and handed them to Sam and Daniel. "Congratulations; you have two healthy little boys."

Daniel held the one bundle in the crook of his arm, and gently offered his finger to the small hand. A smile spread across his face as the five tiny fingers curled around his, opening and closing as they felt it. Looking up he caught Sam's shimmering eye. "They're beautiful." He said.

She nodded, cradling the second bundle in her arms. "They have your mouth."

Squinting, Daniel looked down and studied the pursed little lips. "You think?"

Sam grinned.

His eyes twinkling, Daniel leaned close. "I love you." He said before he kissed her.

She smiled against his mouth. "I love you too." She whispered, the words slightly muffled.

When they finally pulled back Janet was busy checking the monitors, a little smile on her face. Daniel sat down on the edge of the bed. "So," he said. "We still agreed on the names we discussed?"

Sam nodded, her eyes drinking in the sight of her two sons. "Yes."

"Good. I just wanted to be sure, because I was going to take them out and introduce them."

"Good." Janet agreed. "That will give Sam a chance to clean up."

Daniel looked at Sam. "You ready?"

Sam continued gazing down at the yawning baby in her arms, her eyes glowing, and it was with great reluctance that she handed him to Daniel. "I'll be back soon, I promise." He said, and winked.

She smiled back. "Okay."

Carefully carrying his two precious charges, Daniel left the room and ventured out to the main room of the infirmary. Jack jumped up from the bed he'd been sitting on, holding Share', and a grin spread across his face as Daniel approached. His face was red like he'd been sunburned, and he sported a gauze bandage on his right cheek. "Hey! What's this?"

Teal'c rose from his own bed and strode over, a soft smile on his face as he saw the faces of the two baby boys for the first time.

"Guys," Daniel said quietly. "Meet Jacob and Charles."

Jack's eyes rose and locked with Daniel's for a moment, and some unreadable emotion flickered through them. Then a wet sheen covered them, and the corner of his mouth rose slightly. "Good choice."

Teal'c nodded. "They are very beautiful, indeed."

Daniel smiled in pleasure, then looked at his daughter, who was staring at her new brothers with big eyes, her finger hooked in her mouth. "Share', meet your little brothers."

Her eyes flickered between Daniel's face and the two small figures in his arms. Finally, in a little voice, she said, "Be-bee?"

Daniel nodded. "Yes. Our babies."

Turning and looking at Jack, Share' grinned, wrinkling her nose. Jack chuckled, then grimaced, gingerly poking his tongue into his cheek.

Daniel noticed and frowned slightly in sympathy. "You guys okay?"

Jack nodded. "Little crispy 'round the edges, but we're okay."

"Sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c assured him. "It was not you who burned us."

Jack frowned and tipped his head. "Are you sure?"

Teal'c looked at him with complete sincerity. "I am, Colonel O'Neill."

Handing Share' to the Jaffa, Jack leaned over the two bundles. "May I?"

Nodding, Daniel carefully adjusted his hold on one of his sons and Jack took the baby, holding him gently in the crook of his arm. His eyes took on a faraway look. "Daniel," he said quietly, looking up. "Thanks. You know, for saving our butts back there. When we were being routisseried."

Daniel smiled a little, looking slightly embarrassed. "You're welcome, Jack."

Jack nodded, then looked down at the baby boy in his arms. "Hello there." He said, rocking back and forth without realizing he was doing it. "I'm your Uncle Jack, and I am going to teach you how to fish."

* * *

Daniel picked up his breakfast plate from the table, and balancing the dishes in one hand and six-month old Jacob on his hip, he deposited the plate and silverware into the sink. "Okay, Share', finish up breakfast. It's time for Mommy and Daddy to go to work."

"Otay, Daddy." A little, high voice sing-songed behind him.

Sam cleared the rest of the table, then grabbed a damp dishrag and leaned across to wipe Share's sticky fingers. Stepping up behind her, Daniel leaned forward and pressed his lips to the back of Sam's neck. There was a shiver and a small laugh, and then she turned around and put her arms around his neck, smiling. "Hi."

"Hi." Daniel smiled, and raised an eyebrow. "See you later?"

"Mmm." Sam kissed him. "Don't work too late."

There was a grin, and then Daniel went over to the packed and ready double stroller and tucked Jacob in. "There you go." He said as he buckled the baby boy in, smiling at the large blue eyes that blinked and looked up at him. "Be a good boy, Jacob. Love you." He kissed the small forehead, then straightened and turned. "Share', get your shoes on."

While the little toddler slid from her seat and tip toed over to her shoes, Sam lifted Charlie from the playpen and brought him over to the stroller. Daniel reached out and gently rubbed his head and kissed his cheek. "Bye, Charlie." He said. "See you later."

Sam smiled, then buckled her son in next to his brother. Daniel grabbed his stack of books and notes, and she stepped behind the stroller and took hold of the handles. "Share', are you ready?"

"Yes, Mama."

"Okay, let's go."

"Hang on." Daniel crouched down in front of his daughter, who was still sitting on the floor trying to put her left shoe on her right foot. "Here, let me help you." He said, chuckling, and quickly and easily got the correct shoes on the correct feet. "There you go. Now give me a hug."

Share' stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck. He gently squeezed her, then pulled back and gave her a quick kiss. "Bye, Share'."

"Bye Daddy." She said, planting a light, wet kiss on his cheek.

Daniel held the door open, and they all filed out into the long SGC hallway. Glancing at his watch he frowned and turned, quickly striding away. Sam turned the other way, pushing the stroller ahead of her with Share' holding the hem of her shirt. Glancing back Share' widened her eyes as she watched Daniel leave, and her chin began to quiver as her bottom lip poked out.

Two passing women saw, and as Sam disappeared around a corner with her children they turned to one another with looks of sympathy and disapproval. "Oh, Carol, look. That poor little girl." One of them said. "Her daddy doesn't even look at her."

Carol leaned in close. "I haven't seen them speak to each other in over a _week_."

"That's terrible!"

"You know how it is, Tanesha." she said. "She has her girl and her two boys– she's got what she wants. She probably keeps herself so busy and so tired that she never looks at that poor man anymore."

"Girl, if I had such a good looking man, I can guarantee you I would _never_ be too tired." Tanesha stated, raising her eyebrows.

A few days later, while Sam and Daniel walked together towards the nursery at the end of the day, Sam animatedly described her troubles with her new assistant. "I'm trying to work on this consul, and he's going through the data on the computer, and he's going about it the long way. So I tried to show him a simpler way to get the same results, but he's just so _stubborn_ and so _snide_! So finally I just threw up my hands and said–" here Sam threw up her hands and raised her voice. "'Fine! I don't even care anymore! You do what you want!'"

Janet, just stepping out of the nursery, froze and stared, barely recovering in time to plaster a smile on her face and nod as Sam and Daniel passed her. When they had disappeared into the nursery she walked quickly away, her mouth open and her eyes large. "Oh dear." She whispered to herself, putting a hand over her mouth. "So that's what Carol was talking about."

As another week passed, Janet kept a close eye on Sam whenever she passed her in the hall or saw her in the cafeteria. More than once, when Sam ate lunch, Janet saw her with a jewelry catalog looking wistfully at the section of wedding rings, and her heart went out to the blond scientist.

One evening, around six p.m., Sam went to workout in the gym for an hour. Trying to fit in time to spend time on herself was difficult, but Daniel made sure that three times a week he would watch the kids and handle supper so that Sam could have a few hours.

While Sam ran on the treadmill, her ipod pumping music into her ears via little white ear buds, Tanesha and a small group of women exited the locker room, showered and changed with their gym bags over their shoulders.

"Oh, girls, look at that." Tanesha remarked, pausing. "That is the third time this week she's been here 'stead of home with her man."

The other women clucked and fussed.

"Poor Daniel." She sighed sadly. "All alone, taking care of those babies by himself. He's too sweet to deserve that."

One of the women leaned in. "Did you know that they've been back for eight months, and they still aren't wearing any rings?"

Tanesha looked at her. "No! Really, Julie?"

She nodded. "That says something to me. No relationship formed in dangerous circumstances ever lasts."

As Tanesha and the women left, Janet entered the gym, a towel around her neck and her gym bag over her shoulder. She glanced around for an open weight machine and her eye caught Sam. Pursing her lips Janet wove her way through the gym until she reached Sam's side.

Noticing Janet, Sam turned the treadmill down to a slow walk, breathing heavily. Pulling out her ear buds she smiled. "Janet. Hi."

"Hi, Sam." Janet said, her expression and her smile full of empathy. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all." Sam answered, indicating an empty treadmill next to her.

Setting her bag and towel down against the wall, Janet stepped up and turned on the treadmill. As she walked she glanced at Sam from the corner of her eye. "So how are the boys? It's almost time for their six month checkup."

"They're good." Sam nodded. "I was planning on bringing them in next week for the checkup and shots."

"I think I have some time next week." Janet agreed. "How's Share'?"

"Good; getting more teeth. I think they're her two year old molars." Sam shook her head. "She's taken to scribbling in all of my notebooks and spare paper, just like Daddy. And she hums and sings all the time. Yesterday she made up a song during breakfast about coffee and eggs and how she loves her jam on toast."

Janet laughed, arms swinging in time with her steps. "Two is such a fun age."

Sam grinned, nodding.

"And…" Janet hummed. "Daniel? How is he?"

"He's good. Working hard." Sam picked up her water bottle and started twisting off the cap. "Still trying to catch up from the backlog left from when we were gone. There is so much, I don't know how he'll ever get through it."

"Does he help with the kids?"

She nodded, swallowing her water. "Yes. Quite a bit, actually. But what about you? How have you been?"

"I've been good." Janet answered. "So he's been supportive?"

Sam glanced at her from the corner of her eyes. "Yes…"

"You're feeling okay? Not too overworked or stressed?"

"No…"

"Any trouble sleeping?"

Sam looked at her. "Why?"

Janet glanced over. "Just checking. It can be trying raising twins and a two year old."

Sam shook her head. "I… sleep fine."

Janet nodded, and they walked for a moment in silence. "Sam," she suddenly said, her voice soft and reassuring. "If you ever need to share anything or just need someone to talk to, day or night, just call me. I'm here for you."

Eyebrows pulling together, Sam glanced at her. "Okay. Thanks, Janet."

Janet smiled at her.

When Sam finished she gathered her things together and headed for their on-base quarters, looking forward to a nice warm shower. Daniel was sitting at the table, looking through a real-estate magazine with a highlighter. Jacob and Charlie were in their playpen, and Share' was sitting next to Daniel with a box of crayons and an old newspaper, carefully scribbling with an intense look of concentration.

Glancing up, Daniel pushed up his glasses from where they had slipped. "Hey. How was the gym?"

"Good. Exhausting and energizing at the same time. I can't wait to take a shower." Dropping her gym bag, Sam leaned forward and set both hands on the table. "Do I seem depressed?"

Daniel blinked. "Um… not that I've noticed." His eyebrows drew together. "Why?"

Pulling out a chair, Sam dropped into it and leaned her arms on the table. "I was just psychoanalyzed. By Janet."

His frown grew more puzzled. "Okay."

"I think Janet is worried I have post-partum depression." Sam ran one hand through her hair, standing it on end. "I know I've been a little stressed lately, but I don't think I'm sad. Do I seem sad and withdrawn to you?"

Eyebrows lifted, and a moment later the corner of his mouth twitched and a light entered his eyes. "Nope. You haven't seemed very withdrawn to me."

Sam narrowed her eyes, then stood up. As she passed she gently smacked his arm and then strode purposefully towards the bathroom, swinging her hips a little. "I'm _withdrawing_ to the bathroom!" she called over her shoulder, and she heard a burst of laughter.

When she came out thirty minutes later, the table was set, and in the center was a bowl of salad, a pan of chicken, and some sliced bread. Daniel was cutting Share's chicken into manageable bites, looking up when Sam came in. "How was the shower?"

"Wonderful."

"I found some houses I think we should look at. You know, since we lost ours being gone for two years." Daniel nodded towards the counter, where the real-estate magazine lay open. "Maybe this weekend?"

"Sounds good to me." Sam said, sitting down. Her face grew wistful. "A place with windows and a backyard."

When supper finished she and Daniel got all three children ready for bed, and while Daniel read a story to Share' Sam nursed Jacob and Charlie to sleep. Once both boys were tucked into their cribs she went in and kissed Share' goodnight. Closing her daughter's bedroom door slightly, she returned to the main room and smiled at Daniel, who had changed into a tank top and some shorts, with a bandana tied around his head to keep his hair back.

"Don't wear yourself out." She said, and leaned in to kiss him.

"I promise." He smiled, and kissed her again, sliding an arm around her waist. "Be back soon." He promised, pulling back with a soft expression on his face.

Sam smiled. "I'll wait up."

* * *

Jack wiped his face with his towel, sitting down on one of the benches in the gym, his dark eyes even darker than usual with thought. When he had first arrived with Teal'c, Janet had been there, and upon seeing him had quickly pulled him aside. What she had told him made his mood grave with concern, and he had spent the last hour pondering. Apparently Sam and Daniel were having some problems. Though Janet couldn't say for sure _what_ had happened between them, it seemed that Sam was being ignored. After hearing about the little fiasco in front of the nursery, and Janet's observations of Sam during her lunch hours, Jack had come to the same conclusion as the doctor.

The door opened, and Daniel entered the gym, heading straight for one of the weight machines. Glancing down at his watch with a frown Jack noted the time, and raised an eyebrow. Little late for a married guy to workout, wasn't it?

Rising to his feet Jack strode across the room, appearing next to Daniel just as the archaeologist started to add some weight to the machine. "Daniel."

"Hey, Jack."

"Soo…" Jack set his hand to his hips and glanced around, puffing out a breath of air. "Kind of late, isn't it?"

"What?" Daniel looked up at him, puzzled.

"You know, wife at home, kids at home, nine o'clock at night… and you're at the gym."

Daniel sat down, curling his fingers around the weight bar. "Yeah. Kids just went to sleep, so I thought I'd fit in a workout."

"Ah." Jack nodded. His eyes glanced at his friend. "Busy much?"

"Yep. Very." Daniel grunted as he started to lift the weights. "Still working on all that work you saved for me. Thank you for that, by the way."

"You're welcome."

"I'm actually in the middle of translating some Ineriam text. It was hard at first, but I think I'm getting the hang of the syntax of their language…"

Jack's eyes squinted and he tilted his head. "The In-whatians?"

"The… Ineriams." Daniel lowered the weights, then pushed up again. "You know, P4X-826? You went there over a year ago. The place with the big library?"

"Oh yes! How could I forget?"

"There's some mention in the text I'm reading right now of some possible cures for common diseases," Daniel continued. "Hopefully I can figure out what they are and get the information to Janet and her team."

"Uh huh." Jack agreed. "Sounds cool." He looked around awkwardly. "Okay. Well, um, don't stay too late, alright?"

"I won't."

Jack nodded. "Right. Well, goodnight."

Daniel smiled, a bead of sweat trickling down from his temple. "Goodnight, Jack."

As he left, Jack thought back over what he had learned from Janet and his conversation with Daniel. He would watch, he decided, wait and watch. See what happened.

Two days later, at six forty-five a.m., Jack ambled into Daniel's office and looked around. The archaeologist was not there. Jack smiled in satisfaction, glad that Daniel was home where he should be instead of working. Hands in his pockets he rocked back on his heels, surreptitiously glancing over his shoulder into the hall to see if anyone was around to observe him. Then he heel-toed it over to one of Daniel's file cabinets, and glancing around one last time, pulled open the top drawer and proceeded to plunder the goodies hidden within.

Five minutes later, holding a bottled Mocha Frapuccino and licking crumbs from his fingers, Jack reached into the drawer once more for another chocolate walnut cookie.

"Jack! What are you doing?"

Spinning around, hand still in the drawer and mouth still full of cookie, Jack stared wide eyed at the shocked and somewhat furious archaeologist standing in the doorway. "Nuffin." He mumbled. "Gu munin."

"What good morning? You're stealing my cookies!"

Jack swallowed and slowly withdrew his hand from the drawer, brushing his fingers across his front. He grinned boyishly. "But I opened a Frapuccino for you!"

Daniel rolled his eyes, a hint of humor starting to sparkle through. "You already drank half of it."

"Did I?" Jack glanced at the bottle in disbelief, frowning, then he shrugged. "Oh dear. Here, let me get you another one."

Shaking his head, Daniel stepped into the office and deposited his armful of books and notepads onto his desk, then accepted the new Frapuccino from Jack. Shaking it before he twisted the top off, still shaking his head, he took a drink.

"Cookie? They're really good with the Frapuccino."

A chuckle burst free, and Daniel conceded defeat. "You know they sell these at the bakery in town. You could get your own." He said as he accepted a cookie from Jack.

"But they haven't been Danified."

Daniel's nose scrunched in confusion. "What?"

"If they don't come from your office, they haven't been Danified and are not worth taking."

"Thanks. I think." Daniel sat down in his chair. "So other than stealing my cookies, did you need anything?"

Jack leaned back against the file cabinet, helping himself to another cookie. "Just checking in. How's the quest for cures?"

"Promising. I'm translating some more of the Ineriam texts, and I think I'm getting closer to their description of this cure."

"What does the cure cure?" Jack asked.

"It seems– from the descriptions, you know, pains in the head, pain in the belly, odd growths on the skin, wasting away– I'm thinking it's some kind of cancer. At least I'm hoping it's cancer."

"Sweet." Drinking his Frapuccino, Jack eyed Daniel. "So, how's Sam?"

"She's fine."

"You guys aren't working too hard, are you? Getting enough time together?"

"Well, we're both pretty busy, you know. But we make sure we're around to spend time with the kids."

Jack nodded, then glanced at the clock on the wall. Seven a.m. "You're here kind of early, aren't you?"

"Yeah, well, Sam and the kids are kind of morning people." Daniel slumped in the chair. "I've had to make a few adjustments."

Jack's eyebrows lifted. "Like?"

Daniel grimaced ruefully. "Like _pretending_ I'm awake and _acting_ like I'm awake. Even without coffee." He lifted the Frapuccino and took a long drink.

"Anything… else?"

A kidlike frown pinched Daniel's face. "I've had to stop working as much. You know, I never thought about it much, but it's actually kind of a pain not being able to just work on something until it's finished. Like this translation; I'd be a lot further along by now if I could just work late, or through the night, like I used to."

"Well," Jack ventured. "There are some perks to going home to a wife and kids."

"Yeah. I guess." Daniel mumbled.

Jack's eyes narrowed. "You guess?" he snapped. "I _wish_ I still had a wife and kid to go home to!"

Daniel blinked in surprise at the outburst, staring. Fuming but feeling he had let a little too much slip out, Jack strode from the office and away down the hall, trying to get himself back under control. How could someone not appreciate what they have like that?

Five days later Jack stretched, sitting on the couch in his quarters, easing his stiff back. Sighing he looked down at the open photo album laying out on the small coffee table, pictures of Sara and Charlie smiling back at him from one of their last camping trips to the cabin on the lake. Touching one of the pictures Jack felt the all too familiar ache; he had lost more than a son that fateful day. And it was his own fault. Snapping the album closed he stood abruptly and left his quarters, needing to get out.

Stalking down to the commissary he headed across the dimly lit room, digging in his pocket for change, and shoved some quarters into the vending machine. A blue jello chunked into the drawer where Jack retrieved it. Nabbing a plastic spoon from the empty condiment table he peeled back the foil from the top of the cup and dug into the jiggly blue stuff. As he ate his thoughts returned to a time years back, how Sara would smile when he got home on time instead of working late. He remembered how she would hug him, tucking her head in under his chin, and how soft her hair was and how it smelled.

Clenching his teeth Jack gave a frustrated exclamation and threw his empty cup and spoon into a garbage can several feet away. Shoving his hands into his pockets he strode out of the commissary. Without a clear destination in mind he started walking, wandering the halls with no discernable aim, until he found himself walking past Daniel's office. Light was shining out from under the door.

Pausing, Jack frowned. Feeling his anger rise he glanced at his watch, and when his suspicions were confirmed it only served to increase his anger.

The door exploded inward, and Daniel– completely engrossed in his books and notes and translations– jumped back with arms spread out, almost tripping over the wheels of his chair. "Jack!" he exclaimed, putting a hand to his chest.

"What are you still doing here?" Jack demanded, his dark eyes stormy.

"Um… translating?" Daniel eyed him in confusion.

"It's two in the morning!" Jack's voice rose. "What is the matter with you? You have a gorgeous wife! You have three wonderful kids who probably miss you! For someone so brilliant you can be so _stupid_!"

Daniel blinked several times, trying to figure out why Jack was so upset. "Sam knows where I am, Jack." He said. "And the kids have been asleep for hours. I put them to bed at eight."

Jack's eyes flickered around the office and settled on one corner of the room. "So what is this?" he strode over to the couch and snatched up a pillow and blanket, shaking them. "Now you're sleeping in your office?"

Daniel's eyes dropped in slight embarrassment.

Jack's breathing was heavy. He pointed a finger at Daniel. "You'd better start appreciating what a good thing you have!" he seethed. Then he spun around and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Daniel stared at the door in bewilderment, his brows drawn together and his lips pursed. Glancing around he took in the scattered notebooks and papers and books, and the blanket and pillow laying in a heap on the floor, and he sighed, shaking his head. "Just come back tomorrow, Daniel." He said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Pushing his glasses back up he reached out and clicked off his lamp, then quietly walked to the door, opened it, stepped out, and closed and locked it. Then he began to walk slowly down the hall, hands shoved into his pockets, chin down. Jack's words continued to reverberate through his head, making the line between his eyebrows deeper and deeper, darkening his scowl.

Their quarters were quiet and dark when he finally arrived. He could hear the small breaths of three sleeping children when he paused at the door of their room. One of them was snoring, still getting over a slight nose cold. He smiled.

Sam was curled on her side, blankets tucked in around her, the faint pale light from the clock radio shining off of her hair and illuminating her face. Daniel quietly closed the door behind him, then walked over and knelt down next to the bed, watching her. Her blond, short hair was spiked and rumpled all over from sleep, a strand laying down into one of her eyes. Gently Daniel pushed it aside with one finger. Sam's face lifted slightly as she took in a deep breath, turning towards his slight touch until she could nestle her cheek into the palm of his hand, and then she sighed, smiling in her sleep.

A smile curved Daniel's mouth. "You're so beautiful, Sam." He whispered.

She was. Even more than on the island, before children. She liked to complain about her weight and how she couldn't get rid of the soft spot on her lower belly– her 'pooch', as she liked to call it– but she was still her slender and strong self, and she was his, and the mother of his children.

Leaning forward, Daniel moved to brush his lips against hers in a goodnight kiss. Before he could pull back, Sam's hand rose to stroke his chin, and she lifted her face to kiss him deeply. After a moment he felt her catch his bottom lip, and as she nibbled on it his breathing quickened and grew deeper.

Later, laying on his belly next to her with his arm around her waist, Daniel turned his face into her hair and breathed in. "I love you." He murmured.

She smiled, snuggled against his shoulder. Her fingers absently trailed and combed through his long dark hair. "I love you too."

Daniel suddenly raised himself onto his elbow and looked down at her, his hair falling down the one side of his face and into Sam's eyes. Puffing she pushed it aside. "You will not believe what happened tonight." He said, looking down.

"What happened?" she asked, looking up at him. Her blue eyes were sparkling.

"I was in the middle of translating when Jack suddenly burst into my office like a madman!" Daniel frowned. "Well, maybe that's not so unusual, but he had a fit that I was in my office and not with you, and he said that I'm ignoring you and the kids and don't appreciate what I have. I think he thinks I might lose you." A look of bewilderment filled his face once more.

Sam's pale eyebrows pulled together. "Everyone I talk to lately has been saying the same thing. I think we must be giving people the wrong impression."

"You think?"

"Well, if you think about it, when we're not at home we're not together. At all. Jack is not dumb, despite how he acts sometimes, and neither is Janet." She adjusted next to him, looking up with one squinted eye. "I think it's time to plan our wedding reception."

Daniel blinked at her owlishly. "Our… what?"

"Our wedding reception." Sam tilted her head. "The first time around was pretty low budget. And no one came."

He chuckled.

"We could have food, and music, and dancing– we could have our _party_. Besides, I think it might go a long way showing people that we _are_ happy and okay."

Daniel's lips pursed thoughtfully. "Hm."

"You know what a reception is…" Sam's eyes twinkled. "A traditional cultural ceremony declaring to our people that we are now a couple."

Rolling his eyes, Daniel did not even try to suppress the grin that crossed his face. "Okay. Let me know what I can help with."

* * *

Teal'c arrived at the commissary one morning for breakfast, pleased that he had come early enough to beat the crowds of people. When his tray was satisfactorily loaded he turned to scan for an appropriate table, and his eyes lit upon a solitary figure hunched at a table at the far end of the room. With a pleasant smile Teal'c joined the figure, sitting down across from the scowling man.

"Good morning, O'Neill."

"Mornin." Came the mumbled answer.

Teal'c tipped his head, observing the vicious manner in which Jack stabbed his cheerios with a plastic spoon. "Does something vex you?"

Jack scowled. "Cereal's soggy."

Teal'c raised his eyebrows. Since his companion did not seem in a mood to converse, he applied himself to his food while it was still hot.

"Did you know that Daniel has been sleeping in his office?"

Teal'c looked up. "I did not."

"I know it's not all the time, but it's a bad habit to start! Little things start to slip, and next thing you know you never see each other!" Jack shook his spoon, little drops of milk littering Teal'c tray.

The big man looked thoughtful. "Is this not characteristic of Daniel? And is he not working on a very important translation?"

"That's not the point!" Jack waved his hand, spoon still between his fingers, and milk droplets flew everywhere.

Raising an eyebrow, Teal'c inclined his head.

Narrowing his eyes in thought, Jack leaned forward. "I know what I need to do." He said, pointing at the Jaffa. "I need to have a heart to heart, man to man. That's what he needs. Good counsel."

"I disagree. I believe that Samantha and Daniel Jackson are content, and are not in need of counsel."

"Well I do." Jack said.

Later that night Jack stood outside of Daniel's closed office door. Though he still felt justified in his anger the other night, his outburst– he admitted– had been a little abrupt and explosive, and a small peace offering was probably warranted to smooth things over so that Daniel would listen to him. So now here he stood, burdened by said peace offerings, trying to figure out how to alert the archaeologist to his presence. Finally he lifted his foot and banged it against the door, hopping when he almost lost his balance.

The door opened, and Daniel looked tiredly out. "Yes, Jack?"

Jack smiled, and held out before him a Grande Espresso from Starbucks.

Daniel glanced from the coffee to the steaming pizza box to the small white bag clutched in Jack's other hand, then back to Jack. "You went to town?"

Jack shrugged. "Yeah, well, it's fun to keep people guessing. Can I come in?"

Taking the coffee Daniel stood aside for Jack to enter the office, and then he closed the door. "Those cookies aren't 'Danified', you know."

"Give 'em a couple minutes in your drawer."

A smile crossed Daniel's face, and he chuckled, going to the file cabinet and opening the top drawer. Jack deposited the bag within, and they closed it. "Five minutes." Jack declared, checking his watch.

Glancing around, Jack then held up the box. "Pizza?"

Daniel cleared a space on his desk, and when the box was opened he looked hungrily at the Meat-lover's pizza with extra cheese. "Smells good."

Taking a piece, Jack sat down on the couch and put up his feet, eating while Daniel got himself some pizza and sat down opposite him.

When Daniel had drank some coffee and eaten about half of his piece of pizza, Jack cleared his throat. "Sorry about the other night."

"It's okay."

"I would… like to share some advice."

"Jack," Daniel shook his head, his expression strangely amused. "Sam and I _are_ fine, you know."

"Just let me say my piece, okay?"

Daniel sat back patiently.

"First of all I want you to know that I understand that both of your careers are important to you. That's fine. I also know that a lot of people begin relationships in stressful situations; it happens a lot in wars, and then when things go back to normal and life is just everyday humdrum, then things start to fray around the edges and you realize that you maybe don't know each other as well as you thought you did."

Daniel pushed up his glasses, then held up his finger. "Um, Jack, Sam and I knew each other _long_ before we ever–"

Jack raised his hand. "Now, Daniel, just listen,"

With a sigh Daniel sat back and lifted his coffee, waiting.

"Okay. What you need to do now is to find ways to show her she's still special. That you still love her. Don't let work get in the way. Believe me, I made that mistake."

Daniel's eyes softened slightly.

"You guys might need to make some compromises, maybe a few sacrifices–" he extended his hand, referring to the 'morning sacrifices' Daniel had told him about. "But they are worth it. Find some things to do together, things that you both enjoy."

Daniel raised his eyebrows.

Jack shook his finger. "Other than that."

There was a grin.

Hesitating, Jack continued. "Something… I might suggest… All women like jewelry. Even career women, and the ones who say 'it's not important.' Don't believe them! It _is_ important."

"Um, Jack…"

"Don't keep interrupting!" Jack chided with a mock frown. "It's been almost a year since you guys got back. You need to get her a ring."

Daniel nodded. "You're right. I should."

Jack also nodded, pleased with the progress so far. "And your kids. They need to have their dad around enough so they know you. You're their role model. Don't be the dad who's never around and never has time for them." His eyes glanced to the side, then he nodded decisively. "Good. Now eat some pizza."

Daniel managed to stifle his laugh, getting up and obediently getting more food. Behind him he heard the file drawer open, and the crinkling of a paper bag. When he turned around Jack was leaning against the cabinets, holding the bag in one hand and a cookie in the other. He held it aloft with a triumphant look on his face. "Danified." He declared, and popped it into his mouth.

The following week Sam and Daniel got permission from General Hammond to have a small party in the commissary, and to have food catered to the parking lot of the base where some SGC members would deliver it inside.

The next week Sam stood at the bakery case looking through the cake folder. She smiled when she glanced to one side and saw the plate of chocolate walnut cookies her husband always bought.

Behind her Teal'c stood with Share', who kept trying to grab the cowboy hat from his head, giggling ferociously, and beside him was the double-wide stroller with the two sleeping babies.

"Okay," she said, laying down the folder. The baker tipped his head, listening closely. "I would like number twenty-three, the chocolate walnut cake with cream cheese-cherry filling, and cream cheese frosting."

"Wonderful. Excellent choice." He said, writing her order on an order slip. "How many layers?"

"Three. And a sheet cake."

"Any special designs?"

"Nothing fancy." Sam pulled a crinkled photo from her diaper bag, of a fountain with a flowering vine around it. Someone had taken the photo for her and Daniel when a mining team went back. "Could you do some flowers like this?"

"Hm." He studied the photo. "Well– yes, I could do something like this, a vine with little white flowers."

"Thank you." Sam smiled. Then she gestured over her shoulder. "He'll pick it up."

Later Teal'c watched the three kids while Sam tried on dresses. To keep the rambunctious little girl quiet he let her pick a few storybooks from the book section, and he read them to her. As Sam tried on each dress she would come out and ask his opinion, and then go back and try on some more. Once, when he raised an eyebrow, Sam turned and marched back in.

"Nope. Not this one."

Finally she came out with a beaming face. "I think I found it." She said, and turned for Teal'c to see. It was a brilliant scarlet dress, tightly fitted down to the waist, sleeveless, and with a halter strap. The skirt was looser and ended just above her knees.

Teal'c nodded his approval. "It is a most becoming dress."

"You think so?" Sam ran her hands down the front, smoothing it. "Now I just need shoes."

Teal'c blinked, and then, handing the storybooks to Share', suggested that she go and select a few more.

An hour and a half later everyone and the purchases somehow managed to cram into the car, the back and the trunk bulging with invitations, party favors, decorations, snacks, clothing, shoes, and anything else Sam could think of, including her regular shopping for groceries and diapers.

Elsewhere in town, unbeknownst to Sam, Daniel was standing before the counter in a jewelry store. The clerk returned with a small velvet box. "Here is your ring, sir." The older woman said with a smile, opening the box for him to see.

Nestled inside was a gold diamond solitaire engagement ring and wedding band, already put together. Daniel accepted the box and gazed at the ring with glowing eyes. It had taken him six months to pay for it; he had carefully observed the rings Sam looked at in the catalogs, and mentally noted which style she seemed to circle every time.

"Is everything satisfactory?"

"Yes." Daniel nodded, looking up. "Yes, it's perfect."

"Good. Good." She went to the register. "Now if you need to get it resized or cleaned or anything, you just bring it right back and we'll take care of it for you."

"Thank you." Daniel made the last payment on the ring, and then slipped the box happily into his pocket.

The day of the party arrived. They had arranged for a sitter and dropped the kids off that morning. The rest of the day they spent decorating the commissary, and setting up the sound system (complete with microphones for karaoke, Jack's idea). When the caterer arrived in the parking lot, Sam and Daniel went up with a crew and got the food, and Teal'c left with Jack to pick up the cake.

During the activity, Sam and Daniel were watched closely by many members of the SGC. As they talked and laughed together looks were exchanged, and there were quiet whispers.

Tanesha watched with Carol and Julie as Sam stood on a stool, reaching as high as she could to attach crepe paper to the wall, Daniel holding her by the hips to keep her steady. Sam gave a loud, desperate exclamation. "Aaah!"

"You got it?" Daniel asked, peeking around her.

"Yeah; yeah, I got it." Sam replied, letting go and watching it with suspicious eyes to see if the tape would hold.

"You sure?" Daniel's voice was amused.

"Yep. I'm sure." She turned slightly in his grip and glanced down. "You can let me down."

Suddenly there was a high pitched shriek, and heads turned to see Sam grabbing Daniel's hands as his fingers, still in their place on her hips, pinched. Laughing he let her down, ducking as she smacked at his arm playfully.

"My my." Tanesha commented. "Looks like they're getting along again, don't it? Lucky girl."

"You coming to the party tonight?" Carol asked.

"Are you kiddin'? I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

"Me neither." Julie agreed. "This is going to be the most fun I've had in months."

Janet, helping to set up the hors d'oeuvres on the tables set against the wall, turned to watch Sam and Daniel blowing up balloons together. Or trying to. She laughed as a balloon suddenly blew free and flew across the room, making a most undignified sound as it did so.

Finally everything was ready. The regular Base cooks arrived to take care of setting up the rest of the food and the cake, and everyone else disappeared to get ready.

Sam and Daniel showered and changed, Sam into her red dress and high-heeled red strappy shoes, and Daniel into the outfit Sam had bought for him. Black pants and jacket and a brilliant blue silk shirt, with the top button undone. His hair was smoothed back into a sleek ponytail.

Sam came out of their room in her dress and shoes, with an Austrian crystal necklace and earrings, set in gold, and she wore red lipstick. Daniel stared, and then a smile broke across his face. "Wow."

She spun around. "You like it?" she asked, glancing at him playfully.

"Huh…" his blue eyes widened and he nodded. "Oh yeah. You look gorgeous." Stepping up he put his hands around her waist. "Mm."

"Don't mess up my makeup." She warned, putting a finger on his mouth as he looked at her meaningfully. "Later." She whispered, then laughed when he rolled his eyes sufferingly. Shaking her head Sam adjusted the collar of his shirt and jacket, then ran her hands along his hair, making sure it was smooth. He smiled at her.

"Am I perfect yet?"

Sam grinned and stood on her toes, kissing the end of his nose. "For years."

His cheeks turned slightly pink.

The party was just starting when they arrived. As they entered the commissary there was thunderous applause and the sound of many trumpeting party favors. Smiling Sam and Daniel waved at everyone, nodding at Jack and Teal'c, General Hammond, and Janet. Then they walked in holding hands.

Some people stared at the couple they had labeled as 'the nerdy scientist and archaeologist.' Daniel hardly looked like a nerd, dashingly handsome in his suit, and Sam made people gawk as she walked by in her heels. Even Jack had to stare for a moment. Were these really his two geeky team members?

The meal was served buffet style, so that everyone could get as much or as little as they wanted. Ham, beef roast, potatoes, corn, stuffing, gravy, the works. Then out came the cake, and everyone insisted that Sam and Daniel cut and serve each other a bite. There were a few moans that they did not smear the frosting on their face, but cameras went off all throughout the room, capturing the moment.

Before the cooks could come out and cut the cake, Daniel raised his hand and said, "Wait, before we eat dessert, there is something I would like to do."

A hush fell over the room, and Sam eyed him curiously.

Turning to Sam he took her hands, got down on one knee, and reached into his pocket. Hoots and cheers erupted throughout the room, and the cameras went off again. Sam blinked rapidly, biting her bottom lip.

"Sam, I just wanted you to know how much I love you and how lucky I am." Daniel said, talking quietly to her yet still loud enough that people heard. Janet sniffed in the crowd, pulling out a handkerchief. "I got this ring as a symbol of that, and as a promise." Opening the box he pulled out the ring and slipped it onto her finger. Sam's breath hitched, and she pressed her other hand to her mouth. "I'd marry you again in a heartbeat." He whispered.

Sam laughed, wiping at a stray tear. "It's beautiful." She mouthed. "I love you."

"I love you too."

As Daniel stood up, holding Sam's hands, he kissed her and the room burst into laughter and cheers. Smiling shyly Daniel pulled back and turned towards the cake, about to motion to the cooks, when Sam tugged slightly on his hand. "Wait," she said, and then a mischievous grin filled her face. "You forgot something." At his confused expression she winked, and then she pointed her right foot and bent the knee, hooking the bottom of her skirt with one finger and drawing it up just enough to reveal the white garter. Daniel's eyes widened, his cheeks turning pink, and he started to laugh with one hand covering his mouth as the noise in the room tripled with mirth. Amid hoots and catcalls Daniel knelt back down, still shaking with laughter, and as he gently hooked his fingertips over the garter and began to pull it down her leg the noise grew even louder around them, and his blush deepened. When he finally stood he looked down, noticing a slight weight to the white satin and lace, and there at the front– tied with a ribbon– was a gold man's wedding band.

Laughing and with a sheen in her eyes, Sam started to untie the ribbon, whispering: "It's not pretend." As she took his left hand and started to slip on the ring he had to blink quickly, his eyes suddenly very blue. "I'm so glad we got stuck on that island together." She said, her voice catching. "It was the best thing that ever happened to me."

As Sam looked up into Daniel's face, she felt taken aback at the glow of absolute and total love in his expression, and felt her heart hitch in her chest. Then he turned to the crowd and lifted the garter. There was a mad scramble of men as he closed his eyes and Sam spun him. Then he threw.

When the chaos died down everyone tried to see who had caught it. In the back, a surprising throw for Daniel, stood Jack, staring dumbly at the white garter in his hand, Teal'c beaming behind him.

There arose a moan from all the women as they turned and stared woefully at Sam, who got an expression of surprise and then frantic problem solving as she turned around and around, looking. Finally she grabbed a rose from a vase on the cake table, and held it up. "Ready?" she called.

Rushing in towards the middle the women raised their hands and waved, jostling each other. Sam put her hand over her eyes, was spun by Daniel, and then tossed the rose over her head as far as she could. When she turned she saw one of the cooks rising from the floor, pushing hair out of her face as she held the rose triumphantly aloft, beaming.

When everyone had had their fill of cake, the music was turned up and the floor cleared for dancing. After-dinner snacks were set out, and drinks, and Sam happily got herself a strawberry-mango margarita with a skewer of fruit.

Neither she nor Daniel were very good dancers, but neither of them cared, completely absorbed in one another and singing along loudly with the songs to each other. People around them watched in amazement at the normally professional couple, and many perceptions were changed as Sam and Daniel continued in a completely careless, carefree, and unprofessional way on the dance floor.

Watching in satisfaction, Jack nodded. "You see." He commented. "My advice worked."

Teal'c looked at him, raising one eyebrow. Then he smiled and returned his attention to the dancing couple.

Finally there was the whine of a microphone turning on, and Jack's voice over the speakers. "The stage is now open!" he announced. "Now I know I'm not very good, but I believe that karaoke is not karaoke without at least one sad and lonely singer. Therefore, I shall oblige by beginning the night with 'Wonderful Night' by Fatboy Slim." Turning to Daniel and ignoring the exaggerated groan from the crowd, he extended his hand in a bow and said, "Now you shall see me for what I really am: my younger rapper self."

People laughed, with Daniel covering his face in mock embarrassment as he tried to contain himself. The music started, and the result was so terrible that Daniel and Sam had to find themselves a booth where they could safely double over in laughter. At one point Jack suavely pulled his sunglasses from the pocket of his jacket and smoothly slid them on, much to the amusement of the crowd as they laughed at his poor dancing and off-key performance, dancing along with him and cheering when he finally bowed extravagantly and handed the microphone off to a group of nurses singing 'You Drive Me Crazy' by Britney Spears.

The night continued, and Jack joined Sam and Daniel and Teal'c on the dance floor, showing off his own unique moves that they eventually all started to copy. Sam and Daniel continued to sing along to each song, and soon Jack was leaning close with one ear cocked towards them.

"What's this?" he exclaimed. "Why aren't you two up there singing?!"

Daniel looked embarrassed, and shook his head. "Oh, I don't think so."

"We couldn't…" Sam continued.

"Nonsense! Get up there!" Jack demanded.

"You do indeed have great singing capability." Teal'c agreed.

"Go! Go!" Jack waved at them. "One of you! Up!"

Glancing at one another, Sam finally shrugged and tipped her margarita back, downing the last two mouthfuls. "Why not?" she declared. "You only get married once!" Turning she handed Daniel her empty glass as he watched her in amusement and disbelief, and then strode up to the microphone. Pulling it from the stand she whispered to the DJ, then faced the dancing crowd. "I'm going to sing a Shania Twain song!" she announced.

There was a mix of groans and excited hollers, and then Janet's voice from the back shouting "Go for it, Sam!". Smiling Sam nodded at the DJ, then looked out and found Daniel's face. "This is for you."

When she started to sing it was to the music for 'You're Still the One,' and bit by bit the room grew quiet as her throaty, pure voice filled the air, notes hanging perfectly when they should, rising and falling in perfect pitch. Jack, sitting at the booth with Daniel where they had sat down, leaned close. "Sam can sing?!"

Daniel, gazing out at her with glowing eyes, smiled. "Yeah. I know."

Jack glanced at him, then settled back, watching them both with new eyes.

When her voice faded on the final note there was a moment of silence, and then people started to cheer and clap. Her cheeks flushing slightly Sam returned the microphone to its stand and crossed the room to the booth, sitting down next to Daniel. "That was fun!" she laughed.

Daniel smiled, and kissed her cheek. "You were incredible."

Jack clapped Daniel on his shoulder, beaming. "Now you, Danny boy." He said, taking a drink from his beer.

"What?" Daniel turned. "Oh no, no way–"

"Come on, Daniel." Sam hooked his arm. "You've got a good voice."

"You too?!"

She widened her eyes and looked at him sweetly. "Please? For me?"

Daniel heaved a long, heavy sigh, rolling his eyes to the ceiling. Then he stood to the cheers of his friends, causing people to turn and watch, joining in when they realized what was happening. Turning to Sam with playfully narrowed eyes he pointed his finger. "You owe me." He muttered, and she blinked innocently, leaning on the table.

For a minute or two Daniel spoke quietly with the DJ before finally approaching and taking hold of the microphone. The music started, and there were 'awes' from the crowd as people recognized the tune of 'Love of My Life', by Jim Brickman. There were chuckles from the men, and Jack shook his head, laughing. Waiting for the cue in the song, Daniel pulled his jacket off and laid it over a stool behind him.

When he started to sing, people at first didn't think it was really him. The voice was rich and deep, and pure and smooth and vibrant. When they finally realized that it was, indeed, him singing, mouths opened and eyes widened.

Sam watched him with glowing eyes, her chin resting on the back of her fingers, and as the song continued her smile grew.

"_I look in your eyes, I'm lost inside your kiss. I think if I'd never met you, about all the things I'd missed…_"

Daniel watched her in the dim lighting, and he felt a smile slowly creep across his face at her expression. When the song ended he dropped his eyes at the applause, and moved to leave the stage. Suddenly Jack's voice was heard.

"Okay, I know this is really corny with both of you sounding like American Idol, but– now both of you go sing! Together."

Looking up Daniel saw Jack pushing Sam from the booth while people clapped and encouraged her to go forward, begging them to sing together. As Sam made her way up to the stage, laughing, Daniel chuckled and held out his hand for her to take. The DJ leaned over and whispered with them for a moment, and then pulled out a second microphone for Sam to use. When the music started there were some chuckles and exclamations of pleasure, especially from the women, recognizing it as a song from _Moulin Rouge_.

Looking at his blushing wife, Daniel lifted the microphone.

"_Never knew I could feel like this. Like I've never seen the sky before; Want to vanish inside your kiss, Everyday I love you more and more. _

_Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing? Telling me to give you everything. Seasons may change, winter to spring… But I love you, until the end of time._

_Come what may, come what may, I will love you until my dying day._"

Sam's eyes sparkled. "_Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place; Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace. Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste– It all revolves around you._"

They heard a whoop from the crowd, and a quick grin crossed Daniel's face as he sang with her.

"_And there's no mountain too high, no river too wide. Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side. Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide… But I love you, until the end of time._

_Come what may, come what may. I will love you until my dying day. I will love you, until my dying day._"

As the last notes of their voices blended and faded together into the silence, people held their breath, surrounded by the harmony. Then the silence broke.

When it was finally quiet again the DJ put on some fast pop music with a heavy dance beat. People began to move, and Daniel and Sam once again made their way to the center of the dance floor.

* * *

_To Be Continued: _

_Seven Years Later… When someone threatens the SG1 family, what will happen to Sam and Daniel's children… and Sara?_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Castaways 2:**_

"_**Homecoming, Part Two"**_

**By Torquelith and Mara-DragonMaster

* * *

  
**

"_Cannonball_!"

A great, resounding splash woke Sam a moment before she was showered with a great wave of lake water. Jerking in her seat, hands leaving her slightly rounded belly, she sat up in her lawn chair and shook her head, pulling off her sunglasses. "Daniel!"

Turning back to glance at her over his shoulder, Daniel grinned, then snapped his eyes shut when a little hand hit the surface of the water, splashing him. There were two squeals of laughter as he went after the culprits, catching up to them quickly with a few strong strokes.

A little girl with blond pigtails suddenly bounded past Sam, pink lifejacket securely strapped around her. "Daddy, wait for me!" Then she jumped. "Cannonball!"

Daniel turned and held out his arms, catching the eight year old as she leapt from the small dock. As he set her free to paddle around on her own he was suddenly leaped upon from behind by two small blond boys. "Be a boat, Dad!" Jacob begged.

"Yeah, come on, Dad!" Charlie chimed in, scrambling up onto the broad shoulders. He laughed as his brother climbed up as well, over the top of him, so that he was sandwiched between his brother and his dad's back. Dutifully Daniel lowered his face halfway into the water and began to blow, like a motor, striding through the water while the boys swayed and laughed on his back.

Back up towards the cabin, skillfully flipping a hamburger on the grill, Jack shook his head and laughed at the antics in his lake. General Hammond had granted them a week's vacation, and so they had all decided to spend it at Jack's cabin. To Jacob and Charlie's delight the vacation landed on their seventh birthday.

The vacation had come at a perfect time for Jack, as well. Two days earlier he had gotten a call that an old friend from his Black Ops days, Colonel Jim Bennett, had died in a car accident. Though Jack could not see Jim ever falling asleep at the wheel, that's what they said had happened. He had sent his condolences to Jim's wife and children, and then headed up to the cabin with his friends.

The cabin door opened, and Teal'c stepped out, carrying a large cooler. "Shall I also get the paper dishes, O'Neill?" he asked, setting the cooler beside the picnic table.

"Nah, I can get them." Jack said, putting down the spatula. "Watch these for me, will you?"

As he made his way into the cabin's kitchen the phone started to ring. Wondering why General Hammond would be calling, Jack picked up the receiver. "Y'ello?"

"_Jack O'Neill_?"

"Yes."

"_Heard about what happened to your friend. Really is too bad about Jim, isn't it_?"

Jack straightened. "Who is this?"

"_Oh, you know me, Jack. You maybe don't remember me yet, but you will_."

Jack frowned.

"_That falling asleep at the wheel… hard to know for sure, one way or another. Hard thing to prove_."

There was a chuckle, and then the line went dead.

Jack stared at the phone like it had just fed him poison, and then, as a loud burst of laughter reached him from outside, he dropped the phone to the table and grabbed the stack of paper plates on the counter.

Teal'c looked up when Jack stormed out, and his forehead creased. "What is it, O'Neill?" he asked quietly.

Jack gave him a look. "Later." He promised.

Teal'c nodded.

***

Daniel, Sam, and Jack sat on the porch watching the stars. The children had gone to bed hours before, and Teal'c had left them a few minutes earlier to retire to his room. Right now he was deep in kel'no'reem.

Sam leaned back against Daniel, her feet up on the porch swing. Daniel had his arm around her, his glasses held in his other hand. Rocking in his rough, wooden rocking chair, Jack held a beer in his hand and thought back on the day.

After blowing out the candles on their birthday cupcakes, Jacob and Charlie had excitedly opened their presents. From Daniel and Sam they had gotten their own set of snorkels and masks, and flippers. Sharé had given them a carefully made birthday card with a candy bar for each of them. Teal'c had presented them with their own pocketknives, much to Sam's dismay. From Jack they each got their own beginner fishing pole, which to Jack's delight caused Daniel to roll his eyes slightly in mock exasperation. Then Jack and the boys spent the next hour after lunch practicing how to cast and untangle lines.

Sam stirred and sat up, and Daniel rose to his feet. "We'll see you in the morning, Jack." He said, holding out his hand to Sam and helping her up.

Jack nodded. "'Night."

"Goodnight." Sam followed Daniel inside, still holding onto his hand. Jack watched through the window as they made their way into the living room towards their bedroom, and then they stopped and faced each other. They seemed to whisper to one another, a slow smile spreading across Daniel's face as he leaned in to kiss her, his hands gently holding her belly, thumbs rubbing in slow circles. Jack couldn't help thinking, as they disappeared from view, that they both seemed pretty happy about their 'surprise,' despite the fact that it was unplanned.

Downing the last swallow of beer, Jack stood and went in to the cabin and his own room, closing the door quietly behind him. Then he sat slowly on the edge of his bed, looking dolefully around at the empty room. Being alone sucked.

Tipping back onto his bed Jack stared up at the ceiling for a moment, then closed his eyes. Memories of teaching his Charlie how to fish came, unbidden, to his mind, and images of Sara when she was pregnant– how she always seemed to have a smile on her face, holding her belly all the time. His throat constricted, and Jack laid an arm over his eyes.

***

Two days later everyone was inside as the weather was being distinctly uncooperative and drizzling. While the boys sat on the floor and played with legos, Sharé was going through a stack of National Geographic magazines, staring at the pictures and reading what little she could. While Sam and Daniel each read their respective books– one on Ancient Mesopotamia and the other on some new theories in Quantum Physics– Jack and Teal'c engaged themselves in a game of chess. The silence had stretched on for a long time, broken occasionally by some quiet chatter between the boys in their own twin language, which consisted of two forms: a spoken one and a sign language, which they used whenever Sam and Daniel required quiet.

A sudden, loud ringing made everyone jump and look around. When Jack's mind identified it as the phone he stood up and went to answer it. "Hello?"

"_Jack, it's General Hammond._"

"General! Hi. Miss me already?"

"_Jack, I'm afraid I have some bad news._" The general's voice was sober. "_Sara has been in an accident. She's in the hospital now, and… I said I would contact you for them. Her father died last year, so she has no family._"

"What happened?" Jack demanded.

"_The police are saying she fell asleep at the wheel and went off the road. The fact that she survived at all is a miracle._"

Jack froze. "I'm on my way." He said a moment later, and hung up.

The adults in the room were looking at him. "What is it?" Daniel asked.

Jack jerked his head towards the kitchen, turning sharply. The others followed. "I gotta go." He told them. "Sara's been in an accident and is in the hospital. They say she fell asleep at the wheel. Like Jim." He shook his head. "I don't like it. They don't fall asleep driving, and a few days ago I got a call from some kook taunting me about Jim's death." Grabbing his jacket he pulled it on, along with his baseball cap, and then he grabbed his keys. "Watch your backs. I got a bad feeling about this."

Daniel nodded, and Teal'c's brow furrowed.

Few plane rides ever seemed to take so long as this one. When he finally arrived in Colorado Jack drove to the hospital, miraculously avoiding any cop– who would've slapped him with a ticket on the spot– and walked up to the desk.

"Sara O'Neill?" he asked breathlessly.

The nurse checked her records. "Family or friend?"

"Husband." Jack grimaced. "Well, ex-husband. But I'm the only family she's got."

The nurse glanced up at him, then checked her records again. "Colonel Jack O'Neill?"

"Yeah."

"She's in room 214."

Jack barely waited to hear the room number before he took off, running up the stairs and down the halls to her door. Once there he stopped, breathing heavily, and stared in at the still form on the bed. Machines whirred and beeped quietly. Sara lay on the bed, wearing oxygen tubes, dark rings under her eyes and scrapes and cuts everywhere. Bruises mottled her skin in purpling batches, a particularly bad one on the side of her forehead where she had hit the window of her door when the car had rolled. Her left leg was in a cast.

Slowly stepping in Jack pulled up a chair and sat down, close, and he leaned forward, and after a moments hesitation he gently took her hand in his. "Hey." He whispered. "I'm here."

There was a soft knock at the door. "Colonel O'Neill?" a doctor asked.

Jack turned. "Yes?"

"Dr. Marshall." The man extended his hand, and Jack shook it.

"How is she?"

"Better than expected. She has a broken leg and ankle, and a mild concussion, but amazingly no internal injuries. She should be fine."

"How..?"

"When her car rolled down the embankment it was caught by a tree, otherwise…" the doctor trailed off.

Jack nodded and looked back at Sara. "How did you find her?"

"She woke up long enough to call OnStar who alerted emergency services and tracked her with GPS."

Later that night Sara stirred, blinking groggily. She became aware of a pressure on her hand, and looking down she saw that it was clasped in a hand much bigger than her own. Beside it rested a grey head, and she frowned slightly, tilting her head on the pillow. "Jack?"

Starting, he woke, and looked up. "Hey," he said. "You're awake."

Skin crinkling between her eyebrows she licked her lips. "What happened?"

"You fell asleep while driving and had an accident." Jack answered quietly.

Sara frowned. "I didn't fall asleep." She said. "Someone ran me off the road."

Jack's face froze, his eyes darkening. "What?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I was driving through the mountains on one of those curvy roads, and this old pickup came roaring up behind me and pulled out like it was going to pass. Next thing I knew it crowded me to the edge, and– I don't remember anything else." Her eyes softened, gazing at him. "You came."

"Of course I did." Jack whispered, staring at her. Subconsciously his thumb rubbed the back of her hand. The next moment he stood abruptly, letting go, and backed up a few steps. "I'll– go tell the nurse you're awake."

Sara watched him as he left.

The next day Jack entered the hospital room carrying a half-empty cup of coffee in a paper cup, and a small vase of flowers quickly purchased from the gift shop downstairs. Sara looked up and smiled.

"Hi." He said, walking over. He awkwardly handed her the vase. "How're you feeling?"

"Better." Holding the flowers to her nose she breathed in. "Other than a slight headache and an ache in my leg and ankle, I'm okay. Thanks to the wonderful painkillers they have me on." She held up her arm, indicating the I.V.

Nodding, Jack looked around. "Soo…" he puffed out his cheeks, rocking back on his heels. "I called everyone up at the lake and let them know how you were– Sam and Daniel are expecting again. Did you know they had kids?"

She nodded. "Yes; they sent me the birth announcement for the twins when they were born."

"Riight…"

"So you're up at the lake?" Sara asked. She seemed surprised. "You flew in from Minnesota?"

"Yeah, well…" Jack shrugged. "I got a week vacation, and it was the twins' birthday." Glancing around he finally looked at her again. "So, if you're good here I should probably head back. Unless… there's anything you need… you know, like, anything."

Sara smiled, and gently shook her head. "No, I'm okay, Jack."

He watched her. "Okay." He said quietly. "Bye."

"Goodbye, Jack."

As Jack made his way through the hospital he pulled out his cell phone, and once he reached the waiting room he dialed a well-known number.

"_Hammond speaking_."

"General. So where's that guard you promised me last night?"

"_The two guards are on their way, Jack. And I have some people in the local law enforcement looking into who ran Sara off the road_."

"Good." Jack nodded. "'Cause I'm not leaving here until the guard's– Wait, there they are. Thanks, General."

"_No problem, Jack_."

Pocketing his phone Jack strode forward, meeting the two Air Force guards that had just entered the hospital. "Johnson. Simmons." He greeted them.

They saluted. "The General briefed us, sir." Johnson said. "We won't let anything happen to her."

"Good." Jack nodded.

The drive back to the airport was uneventful, and as Jack sat reading a magazine in the terminal, waiting for his flight to board, his phone rang. Pulling it from his pocket he flipped it open and set it to his ear. "Hello?"

"_Hey– glad I caught you before you boarded the plane and turned your phone off._"

Jack looked up. It was the same person that had called him at his cabin. "Who is this?" he growled.

"_Still don't remember me, huh? That's a shame. After all we went through together, too. Say… isn't it crazy that Sara survived? Pure luck, her hitting that tree. 'Course, luck like that rarely happens twice, does it?_"

Closing the magazine Jack sat up straight, eyes darkening. "What do you want?"

"_I want you to experience the sweet joy of losing everything, Jack, just like I did._" There was the slightest pause. "_Do you know how many little kids disappear while on vacation, Jack?_"

The line went dead.

Throwing the magazine aside Jack snatched his phone from his ear and dialed quickly. When the other line started to ring he bounced his knee, impatiently waiting as the rings continued. "Come on, come on, come on." He muttered. "Someone answer the darn phone!"

Sam looked up from wiping the table. "Daniel, can you get the phone?"

"Little busy here!" he called back from the bathroom, where he was attempting to wash Charlie's hair as the boy fidgeted.

"I have soap in my eye!"

Daniel sighed. "_Close_ your eyes, Charlie, and you wouldn't get soap in them."

Sam shook her head as she listened to them, leaving the dishcloth on the table as she stepped over to the phone and lifted the receiver. "Hello?"

"_Captain, where are the kids?_"

Sam blinked, startled at the harsh sound to his voice. "The boys are in the bathroom getting their hair washed, and Sharé's getting dressed. Why?"

"_Throw them and Teal'c and Daniel into the car and get out of there as fast as you can. Catch the next flight to Denver. Someone tried to kill Sara, ran her off the road. Now he just called me and threatened the kids._"

"What?!"

"_I'll explain when you get here. Now move!_"

"Yes, sir!" As the call ended Sam dropped the phone and ran to the bathroom. "Daniel," she said. "I have to talk to you, right now. Jacob, help Charlie dry his hair."

Watching her with confused expressions the two boys moved to obey, and Daniel stood up, frowning as he followed her out to the kitchen. "What is it?"

"The colonel just called and told us to evacuate. Someone tried to kill Sara, and they threatened our kids."

"What?!" Daniel's eyes grew large, and then they narrowed. "Go get Sharé."

Nodding Sam headed for the bedroom while Daniel returned to the bathroom. Within minutes suitcases had been packed, Teal'c updated, and the kids were piled into the car. While Daniel drove, Sam called the airport and booked them on the next flight out. As surreptitiously as she could she opened the glove compartment and checked on the handgun she had stored there minutes before. Its black presence was cold, and she shared a look with Daniel.

After a quick talk with the Air Marshall, explaining that they had received a call threatening their children and were on their way back to Cheyenne Mountain, the Air Marshall agreed to be on the alert and even escorted them onto the plane.

Jack was waiting for them at the airport, along with a small team. He was pacing as they deplaned, and only when he saw all of them– safe and sound– did even a hint of relief enter his eyes. "Did you see anything?" he asked as they left, heading for the transport vehicles.

Daniel shook his head. "No. But that doesn't mean no one was there." He said quietly, walking beside Jack. "Who is this guy? What does he want?"

Jack's mouth pressed to a thin line. "I don't know who he is, but he said he wants me to lose everything like he did."

Daniel's brows furrowed. "Okay."

"Hammond's traced the calls, but each one was from a different pay phone in different cities." Jack's voice was laced with frustration.

Daniel pushed up his glasses, thinking. "So, all we have to do is put together a list of all the people who want revenge on you."

Jack sighed. "We're going to need a really big notepad."

Daniel's eyes perked up as he thought of something. "Well we can narrow it down some: this guy is most likely from Earth, not offworld."

Turning a withering glare on his oh-so-innocent friend, Jack shook his head. "Thanks. That makes me feel so much better."

Sliding into the car with Daniel, Sam, Teal'c, and the kids, Jack had only just buckled his seatbelt when his phone rang again. Sharing a glance with his friends he pulled it from his pocket and checked the number. Unknown. He set it to his ear. "Hello?"

"_Wow, you move fast! How long did it take, ten minutes for them to leave after I called you? Oh, by the way, sorry about your place. Guess I've got a temper. But then you know that, don't you?_"

"Listen you schmuck, you got a problem with me you take it up with me, you don't go after my friend's kids!"

"_Getting under your skin a little, huh, Jack? Good. I was wondering what it would take._"

When the line went dead again Jack was almost shaking with fury, muttering an oath under his breath. When the phone rang again he snapped it open. "What?!"

"_Jack? It's General Hammond. Everyone back safe and sound?_"

"Yes, sir." Jack said tightly. "He called again."

There was a pause. "_What this time?_"

"He apologized for the state he left my cabin in."

"_Actually, that's what I was calling you about. I just got a call from the local sheriff in Minnesota that your cabin was broken into and vandalized._"

Jack blinked. "How does he know? No one but me ever goes to my cabin, and I'm sure not there!"

"_The postman was delivering a birthday card– from me– and called it in._"

With a groan Jack pressed his fingers to his eyes, rubbing them. "What the heck did I do to this guy?" he muttered.

There was a cough. "_We've starting compiling a list of names, but…_"

"Yeah, yeah." Jack said. "I know. You need a bigger notepad."

***

Turning her head, Sara blinked sleepily and checked the clock on the wall. One-thirty. Not quite time for her next dose of painkillers, but almost. Adjusting her leg she grimaced, wishing for the umpteenth time that they had not taken her off of the I.V., switching her to pills; she could always tell when they started to wear off.

They had gotten her up that day, having her practice on her crutches, and tomorrow she was to be released. Not a pleasant prospect, hobbling around by herself, alone in her house, but at least she'd be home. Johnson and Simmons were going to drive her home and keep an eye on her and her place, to make sure she was still safe. At least until their orders changed, or they got the guy who ran her off the road.

Glancing to one side she saw the small vase sitting on the end table, the painted daisies still bright and cheerful, even in the dark. It was the last thing she had expected, to wake up and see Jack there, much less the brief flash of unguarded emotion in his eyes when she had expressed her surprise. "Hmm." Reaching out she gently fingered a soft petal.

Suddenly there was the sound of low male voices just outside her door, and she raised her head from the pillow, watching and listening curiously. There was a soft thud and a sound like scuffling feet, a shadow passing by the small frosted window in the door, obscuring the light over and over again. Her door banged once like something fell into it, and she jumped, grabbing and clutching the vase to her as she sat up, watching with growing fear.

Suddenly there was the terrible sound of a gun going off, and then her door burst open and Johnson stumbled backwards into the room, slamming the door shut after him. Backing away from it, watching it with unblinking eyes, his right hand clutched his gun– pointing it at the door– and his left hand held his neck, blood seeping from between his fingers. Sara watched with a mouth wide open as he sank to the floor at the foot of her bed, and then pulled his cell phone from his pocket and hit the speed dial.

"Sergeant Johnson," he panted. "Simmons is down. Requesting immediate backup! Suspect on foot, medium height, dark hair and eyes. He's carrying a knife."

Shaking herself Sara turned and hit the panic button next to her bed, then tried to lean far enough to see how bad Johnson was hurt. "What happened?"

"Stay where you are, Ma'am." He ordered, never taking his eyes off of the door.

Alarms went off all throughout the floor, and they heard the commotion of doctors and nurses and security guards as they rushed to the scene and found Simmons. When the door slammed open the doctor came to an abrupt halt as he came face to face with a gun, held in the bloodied hand of an Air Force sergeant. Behind him nurses rushed in only to be met with the same scene.

Seeing it was only hospital personnel Johnson lowered the gun and beckoned them in. Sara pushed the two nurses who swarmed to her away, insisting she was fine and that they should focus on Johnson instead. In the confusion that followed Sara sat in her bed, clutching her blanket and the vase to her chest.

***

"I do believe that Colonel O'Neill is correct, General Hammond." Teal'c said, sitting in a chair in Hammond's office. "Sara would be safest if she were brought here to the base."

"See?" Jack exclaimed, holding his hands out towards Teal'c.

Hammond sat back in his chair, fingers pressed together. "I understand, Jack, but bringing her to the base– that's a big request."

"Simmons was killed last night, sir!" Jack pushed. "Johnson would've died, too, if he hadn't heard the guy and moved– the guy almost got his jugular!"

"What if we put her in the Witness Protection Program?" Hammond suggested. "She would have a new identity–"

"Oh, right, make her disappear forever. That's a swell plan!" Jack was seething, his eyes black and snapping. "So what about Daniel and Sam, and their kids? Do we make them disappear too? What about everyone else I know? How many people we gonna make disappear, General?"

Watching the colonel, Hammond waited patiently for the rant to finish. If it were anyone else they would be bordering on insubordination; but he knew Jack, and he understood. "Okay, Jack." He said. "But she's not to be told about the Stargate; as far as she is concerned, this is a normal U.S. Air Force Base."

Jack let out a breath of relief. "Thank you."

Later that morning Jack escorted Sara from the hospital to the base. As he helped her from the car she stared up at the imposing mountain with wide eyes. "So this is where you work?"

"Yeah," he closed the car door and set a hand to her back, gently. "Most of the time."

Sam and Daniel were there waiting, a wheelchair beside them. Sara sank gratefully into it, and Jack took her crutches. "Sara, this is Sam and Daniel." He said.

"Hi," she smiled as she looked up at them, shaking their hands. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

"It's nice to meet _you_," Daniel said with a smile.

"We have a room all set up for you." Sam said. "It's close to our quarters; that way, if you need anything…"

"Thank you!" Sara tucked a piece of short hair behind her ear.

Jack watched the interaction between his ex-wife and his friends as he pushed the wheelchair down the elevator and through the halls to her room, and something in his chest unclenched slightly, seeing how easily they got along. Plus, he felt assured, here in the base she would be safe.

The quarters were small, but neat and tidy. Sara's things were already waiting there in boxes, and as she went to one box and struggled to open it, Sam hurried over.

"Here, let me help you."

Jack and Daniel stood in the middle of the room, looking around. "Okay… so…" Jack said.

"You need any help unpacking?" Daniel offered.

Sam and Sara looked at each other, then Sam smiled. "No, we got it." She said.

Jack nodded. "Right. So, see you later then?"

Her eyes lifting, Sara looked at him. "Yeah."

Nodding again, Jack rocked back on his heels. "Right." Turning he quickly left, and Daniel followed more slowly, leaving with a fond glance at Sam.

Turning back to the box Sam set her shoulders. "Okay. I took the day off of work so I could help you settle in, so I'm all yours. What should we unpack first?"

Sara looked around, searching. "Well, there was a small open box that I brought from the hospital– do you know where it ended up?"

"Um…" After a quick search Sam triumphantly held up the box in question. "This one?" she asked, bringing it over.

Sara nodded, keeping one hand on the table while she accepted the box with the other. Hop-stepping into the small kitchenette she set the box on the counter and then lifted out a small vase of slightly wilted daisies. Frowning she turned the water on in the sink and refilled the vase, then gently set it on the counter, her eyes soft. "Okay," she said, breaking out of her thoughts. "I have a box of stuff that can go in the bathroom– but I can unpack that later. And… I guess I have some clothes…"

"Why don't we put the clothes in the closet and dresser?"

Sara nodded, wincing as she hop-skipped out of the kitchenette, bracing herself against the counter and the table and the wall– whatever was nearby. Sam carried the boxes to the bedroom and set them on the bed. As they started to unpack she turned. "Would you like to have dinner with Daniel and me? It'd be better than cafeteria-food."

Sara looked up from a box, and she smiled. "Why yes. Thank you, Sam– or, is it Samantha?"

She chuckled. "Sam."

As they continued to unpack they chatted about Sara's job, and Sharé and Jacob and Charlie. It turned out that Sara was an avid Food Network fan, and Sam was forced to admit that the only chef she'd ever heard of was Emeril, and then she'd only seen his name on a spice jar. Sara was appalled, and announced that they were going to watch it tonight. If they could get cable here in the mountain. Sam laughed, and assured her that yes, they did.

That night Sara went next door, and soon was happily chatting and cooking with Sam. Into a pot of boiling water went spaghetti, and into another pot went some hamburger, onion, mushrooms, and garlic to sauté. Jacob and Charlie happily stood at the table ripping lettuce into a large bowl, and Sharé stood at the kitchen sink and washed some apples.

"Your kids have grown so much," Sara said, thinking back to seven years earlier when she had gotten the birth announcement of the twins. It had surprised her that some of Jack's friends, even after so much time apart from him, would think of her. "So when did you find out you were expecting again? And how far along are you?"

Sam chuckled. "I'm about fourteen weeks. Thank heavens, because I'm not morning sick anymore. We found out a little over a month ago when I started feeling ill every morning."

"Seven years is quite a gap between children."

"Yeah, well, this one wasn't quite planned. But it's a pleasant surprise." Sam patted her small rounded belly fondly. "I can't believe how fast I always show."

"Is it going to affect your work?" Sara asked curiously.

Sam shook her head. "Not too much. The last six years Daniel and I have switched off watching the kids and working really hard. Luckily our schedule let us concentrate our hours. I had to slow down a little once we found out, though; especially on the… traveling bit." She frowned a little.

Sara knew better than to ask for more details, remembering what it was like with Jack. Accepting the now-clean apples from Sharé she took a knife and began to cut them into bites, while Sam crumbled walnuts over the bowl of lettuce. Then, as Sam added the apple and tossed the salad with a homemade apple cider vinaigrette, Sara poured the tomato sauce over the browned hamburger and onion, and as it heated she added different herbs and spices to it from Sam's cupboard, stirring it. Once it was heated through she drained the pasta and tossed it with the sauce.

"Do you and Daniel live here all the time, then?" she asked, indicating the apartment-like quarters.

"No," Sam shook her head, pulling plates from the cupboard. "We actually have a four-bedroom house, with a big backyard. And lots of windows!" she gestured at the window-less walls, and Sara laughed. "But since that _kook_ threatened the kids, we've…"

A look of shock and horror crossed Sara's face as her skin paled. "Oh no! Why would he do that?"

Sam glanced at her. "You didn't know?"

Sara shook her head, then blinked. "Is it– it's the same guy who attacked me?"

Mouth opening, Sam mentally slapped herself. "I thought you knew– This guy is threatening everybody that Jack knows."

"What?" Sara's eyes grew wider. "So this is all to get Jack?" Tears started to well up in her eyes.

"Sharé," Sam put her hand to the back of her daughter's shoulders and gently herded her forward. "Go and play with your brothers in your room until Dad gets back, okay?"

"Okay, Mom." With her two younger brothers in tow, Sharé ran to her room and shut the door.

Sara pressed her hand to her mouth, her blue eyes wide and swimming. "Those two men last night– they were just trying to protect me–"

"Shh, I know." Sam said, holding Sara's shoulders.

"They were just trying to protect me, for Jack, and he killed– one of them died, and the other almost– there was so much blood–" Crying, Sara let Sam hold her close, her arms warm and tight around her. "Who would do that? And your kids– Sam, I'm so sorry–"

"It's okay." Sam soothed, rubbing the woman's back as she cried on Sam's shoulder. "You're safe now. So are we. It's okay." Pulling back she looked into Sara's eyes. "Jack is doing everything he can. He'll get this guy. Don't worry."

Nodding, Sara held her face, and Sam let her continue to cry until the tears finally began to lessen, and then Sara took a deep breath and wiped her cheeks. "Thanks." She said, accepting a tissue. "I think I needed that."

"I can imagine." Sam agreed softly. "That had to have been building for a while."

Nodding, Sara attempted a small smile. "Since the day I went off the road." Wiping her eyes dry with the tissue, she took another deep breath. "I'm going to go clean up before your husband gets home."

"Okay." Sam pointed out where the bathroom was, and watched as Sara retreated to wash her face.

A few minutes later Daniel opened the front door and walked in. "Hey." Glancing from one side to the other he looked back at her quizzically. "Wasn't Sara going to join us?"

Sam nodded towards the bathroom. "She's in there."

"Ah." Looking more closely at Sam he squinted. "Everything okay?"

Arranging the plates on the table Sam shrugged her shoulders. "She didn't know the guy was going after Jack; and I– kind of let it slip."

"Oh. She okay?"

Looking over her shoulder, Sam bit her lip. "Yeah, I– I think so. Not at first, but I think she's fine now."

Daniel nodded, then came in and gently put his hands on her waist, kissing her forehead. "How about you?" he asked gently.

Looking up, Sam smiled. "I'm fine." She answered, and then rose a little onto her toes, touching her lips to his. Her eyes closed as he encircled her in his arms, deepening the kiss.

Suddenly, from behind them, they heard a muffled squeak and then several giggles, and a door slammed closed. Sam laughed, feeling Daniel chuckle, and she pulled back slightly to look around him. "Okay, kids, time for supper!" she called as the bedroom door cracked open and three pairs of large eyes peered out. "Dad's done."

With relieved and amused expressions their three children came out and headed for the table.

"Oh no I'm not!" Daniel exclaimed, catching Sam and dipping her to kiss her once again, much to the dismayed cries and laughter of his kids. Jacob caught his throat and fell down dramatically while Charlie yelled "Ew!" as loudly as possible.

There was a burst of laughter behind them, and Sara entered the dining room with sparkling eyes. Setting Sam back on her feet Daniel quickly straightened, smoothing his hair back with a red face. "Hello."

"Hello." Sara laughed. "Sam, would you like me to grab the spaghetti?"

"Yes, please." Sam chuckled, eyeing her husband in amusement.

While Daniel washed his hands the kids all got into their respective seats and Sam and Sara finished setting the table. When Daniel returned the three adults sat down.

"Daddy, can I pray?" Sharé asked.

"Sure."

Folding her hands, Sharé waited until everyone else had followed suit and then she squeezed her eyes shut. "Dear God, thank you for Mommy and Daddy, and thank you for the food. Amen. Oh– and thank you for Missus Oneel."

Elsewhere in the base Jack sat in the commissary with Teal'c, staring morosely at his plate of chicken a'la king. With a frown he poked experimentally at the undercooked biscuit swimming in the overcooked white gravy and peas. Teal'c stared at his identical plate with a raised eyebrow, fork and knife untouched on his tray. Bravely deciding to forge forward Jack cut himself a bite and put it in his mouth. After a moment of chewing he stopped, and terrible twist overtook his face.

"This chicken is not fit for a king." Teal'c stated, watching him.

"Oh, I don't know." Jack said, rinsing his mouth with a swig of milk. "I can think of a few kings that I'd feed this to."

Teal'c nodded in assent.

Staring once more at his plate, Jack said darkly, "Married men have all the luck. I'll bet Daniel's eating better than this."

"Indeed. That would not be difficult to accomplish, O'Neill." Teal'c said. Then he looked up. "My own wife cooked food much superior to this on Chulák."

"Yeah; Sara can cook pretty good too." Jack said. Giving up on supper he gestured with his fork. "What about you and the blond Amazon?"

"I have heard that she has great culinary skill. Indeed, the last time I visited I was served a great feast, much of which was prepared by her own hands."

"You know," Jack shook his fork, gravy splattering Teal'c's tray; for which he showed no great concern. "A single annual visit does not a relationship make! Not a romantic one, anyway. You need to see her at least three or four times a year for it to count."

Teal'c tipped his head, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I will take your advice into consideration." Looking to one side he blinked, and spoke quietly. "It would be nice to see her more often."

"Right." Jack returned to glaring at his chicken.

***

The next morning, as Jack groggily made his way out of the shower and began to towel his hair, his room phone rang. Yawning he shuffled over and picked it up. "'Ello?"

"_Sorry. Did I wake you up?_"

His senses instantly alert Jack looked up. "How did you get this number?"

"_I know everything, Jack. By the way, too bad about your two men. Must be such a loss for you._"

"One man." Jack gritted. "You messed up."

"_Not Johnson. The other second man._"

Jack froze. "What 'other' second man?"

"_So young; and you'll have to tell his family. Never knew what hit him, either, there in the dark._"

"Who?"

"_Tell me, Jack, when was the last time anyone saw Private Penske?_"

As soon as the line went dead Jack dropped the receiver and stalked over to his door, throwing it open, heedless of the towel around his waist. "Guard!"

Within thirty minutes a full search was underway. They found Private Penske under the utility stairs in the furnace room. Jack stood staring down at him, noting that the young man couldn't have been more than twenty. He swallowed hard.

Hours later, after securing the base and notifying Penske's family, Jack sat slumped in a chair in Hammond's office. Sam and Daniel sat in some chairs to one side, and Teal'c stood by the door.

Saying goodbye to whoever was on the other end of the line, Hammond hung up his phone and gave a heavy sigh, folding his hands on his desk. "They're working on how he got in to the base."

Jack nodded. "Sweet." He said in a dead tone.

"We're going to get this guy, Jack."

He looked up. "After how many people are killed, sir?"

Before Hammond could answer the phone rang. Picking up the receiver he set it to his ear. "Hammond speaking. Yes, he's here." Holding the phone out he nodded at Jack. "It's for you."

Jack took the phone. "O'Neill here."

"_So, have you and your team and the General decided what to do yet?_"

Sitting up straight so abruptly that the others jumped, Jack looked around him, as though he might find the caller hiding in a corner. "What do you want?"

At Jack's look, Hammond carefully and quietly lifted the receiver of the second phone on his desk, and listened in.

"How did you get this number?"

"_Jack, I'm not dumb._" The man's voice sounded amused. "_You know, I've got to up my a-game. So far you've gotten frustrated and mad, but I think I need to stop going after people who don't mean enough to you._"

"What? What about Sara? She doesn't mean 'enough' to me?"

"_She's not dead yet. Neither are Daniel or Sam, or the kids, Uncle Jack._"

Hammond's eyes widened, and then a muscle started to work as he gritted his teeth.

Jack turned and stared at Daniel and Sam, and at his expression they sat up straighter and Daniel put a hand on Sam's arm. "There's no way you're gonna get near them." Jack said.

"_Oh? I got near Private Penske, didn't I?_"

"Look, you cretin! You stay away from those kids and my wife!" Jack belted into the phone, shaking with fury.

Sam's hand tightened over Daniel's. Teal'c's face became dark.

"There is no way I'm gonna let you anywhere near them!" Jack seethed. "You're never going to find them!"

"_Why not? I know my way all over this base, Jack. Where are you going to hide them? In the Stargate room? Offworld?_"

Turning to lock stares with Hammond, Jack answered in a tight lipped voice. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"_Ah, sure you do. We traveled through the Stargate together, Jack, so don't try and lie to me._"

"What do you want from me?!"

"_Suffer, Jack. Just suffer, okay?_"

The line went dead.

Jack stood gripping the phone for a moment, then he slowly and carefully returned it to its base. Hammond was not so controlled. Slamming the phone down he stood, red faced and angry. "That's it." He barked. "This base is on red alert and complete and total lockdown. Now." Picking up his phone again he pounded out a number. "Yes," he ordered. "I want a complete list of everyone who has ever gone through the Stargate with Colonel Jack O'Neill, _and_ their current location! Immediately!"

Without waiting for the person on the line to squeak out a 'yes, sir!' he hung up, then faced SG-1. "I want all of you in the same quarters, as of right now. Dr. Jackson, Captain Jackson, I know it will be tight, but you have the biggest living quarters, so…"

"Yes, sir." Daniel said.

"Captain," Hammond looked at Sam. "Would you please inform Sara O'Neill and help her move in with you?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

"You have one hour. Go!"

When the others had left, Hammond stopped Jack. "I'm putting you under twenty-four hour guard. And when I said everybody, I meant you too."

"No way." Jack said. "I should be out there helping…"

"This is not request, Jack." Hammond said firmly. "This is an order. You're the one he's ultimately after; get in that room."

His eyes dark, Jack bared his teeth. "Yes, sir." He bit out, and left, slamming the door.

Forty-five minutes later Jack arrived in Sam and Daniel's living room, bearing a suitcase and a small box of things. Sara had already been moved in, and was sitting at the table, coloring with the kids. She looked up when he entered, and her eyes were very blue and full of fear, locking into his with deep concern. The smaller bruises on her face had subsided, but the bruise on her forehead still stood out against her pale skin.

Jack looked around the room as the guards pulled the door shut behind him. "Where's Teal'c?" he asked.

"I don't know." Sara said, still watching him. "We haven't seen him."

Turning, Jack looked at Sam, who was sitting on the couch. "Captain?"

She shook her head. "I haven't seen him, sir."

"Daniel?" Jack called, heading further into the apartment. Daniel poked his head out of one of the bedrooms.

"Yeah, Jack?"

"You seen Teal'c?"

Daniel shook his head, pushing his glasses up. "No– not since he went to get some things from his room." He frowned. "He's usually early, not late."

"Didn't the General give you an hour?" Sara asked from the table. "It's only been forty-five minutes."

Jack and Daniel shared a look, and then Jack put down his suitcase and handed Daniel the box, and he turned and strode back to the door, yanking it open. The guards on the other side snapped to attention, their expressions tense. They stepped in front of him when he tried to leave.

"You're supposed to stay in your quarter's, sir."

"We were given an hour; I have fifteen minutes left, and one of my team isn't here." Jack barked. "You want to make sure I'm safe? Follow me."

In the face of his brusque manner, the guards looked at one another, and then one of them quickly followed while the other closed the door and then placed himself in front of it.

Jack strode through the halls, his feeling of unease growing. When he came upon the open door and the silence that emanated from it his steps quickened, his senses on full alert. He heard the click of the guard's gun behind him as he took the safety off, and motioned to him to go to the other side of the door. Silently pressing himself to the one side Jack pulled his handgun out, listening for any sound inside. Then he slipped inside, gun held before him, and he quickly scanned the room. He sensed the guard doing the same.

"Here!" Jack hissed when he saw the still form on the floor, sure now that no one else was in the room. Stepping over he quickly felt Teal'c's pulse, and was relieved to find one.

"Is he still alive?" the guard asked.

"Yes; hit the alarm, and call for a medical team!" Jack ordered, keeping his voice hushed.

As the wail of the alarms filled the silence, Jack looked with haunted eyes around the room, grabbing a shirt from the spilled clothing beside the suitcase. Pressing it to the knife wound in Teal'c's left shoulder, he muttered a curse.

Two hours later Teal'c sat up in the infirmary bed, surrounded by guards while Janet readjusted his sling. "You're lucky the knife glanced off of your shoulder blade." She said. "And that he only zatted you once."

"Indeed." Teal'c agreed. His mouth was curved down in a dark, angry frown. "I should have been more aware."

"Teal'c, he ambushed you from behind. Not much you can do about that." Janet reproached gently.

His brows drew together. "It shall not happen again."

Sam lay on her side in her bed, curled against Daniel's back, her one hand holding her belly. Daniel rolled over carefully till he was facing her, stilling as she stirred and sighed in her sleep, her hair sticking out and rumpled by the pillow. He smiled gently, watching her, and slid his arm under his pillow and beneath his head, preparing to go to sleep. His hand scraped against something. Pausing, his brow wrinkling, he felt with his fingers and identified it as two sheets of thick paper. Pulling them out from beneath the pillow, he sat up and squinted, then grabbed his glasses from the nightstand and put them on. What he saw made his heart freeze.

It was a Polaroid of Sam, asleep, and another one of his three children, also asleep. The note on the photo of Sam said: 'Aren't they precious?'

Jack was laying on his back on the couch, trying to quiet his mind enough to sleep, when one of the bedroom doors opened quickly and Daniel stood in the doorway, his eyes wide and his face white. He looked terrified.

"Daniel? What?" he whispered, sitting up and throwing off the covers.

Thrusting out his hand, Daniel held out what looked like two photos. "These were under my pillow. He was here, Jack." Daniel said in a strangled whisper. "He was here, in my kid's room! Watching Sam while she was sleeping!" he took a harsh breath. "Jack, he was in here with my kids and my wife!"

His eyes going from the photos in his hand to the white face of his friend, Jack stood and turned, snatching his pillow from the couch. There, lying on the cushion, was a Polaroid of Sara, with a handwritten note: 'She's really beautiful when she sleeps, Jack.'

Something snapped. Jack strode across the room and snatched up the phone. After a few rings a sleepy voice answered. "General," Jack grated. "We're going offworld. Now."

There was a pause. "_I'll meet you in the Gate room._"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Castaways 2:**_

"_**Homecoming, Part Three"**_

**By Torquelith and Mara-DragonMaster

* * *

**

Jack looked over the trailer, hooked to the back of the ATV, going over all of the crates and luggage one last time. Clothes, belongings, medical kits, and some dry goods. All gathered in record time. Janet was huddled with Teal'c and Sam, going over instructions on how to care for Teal'c's wound. Sharé was in Daniel's arms, draped over his shoulder with a tiny trickle of drool next to her slightly open mouth. "Jacob, Charlie!" Daniel said sternly. "Get down off of that! Right now!"

The boys froze, partially on the ATV, and looked at him with big eyes. "But Dad…" Charlie complained.

Daniel leveled them with a stern look that would tolerate no disobedience. "Now."

With a sigh they crawled down and plopped onto the floor next to Daniel's feet, a jacket over their pajamas. Guards surrounded them on all sides, guns at the ready.

The side door opened, and General Hammond entered, his face grim. "Alright, we're completely locked down." He told Jack. "Nobody is going through that gate until this guy is caught, so you should be safe."

Jack nodded, then stepped close. "Anybody know where we're going?" he whispered.

Hammond shook his head. "I'll enter the coordinates myself, Jack. No one else will have any clue where you are. Samantha set it to clear the instant the Gate closes, so there won't even be a record."

"Good." Glancing around, Jack took stock of his team. Sara was standing close to Daniel and the kids, a pullover wrapped tightly around her, quietly playing I-spy with the boys to keep them occupied. Her eyes kept flickering up at the Gate nervously. She had actually taken the truth about Jack's job rather well, but he supposed that the life-threatening situation had something to do with that. He felt a slight glow of pride in how she was handling the situation, and when she caught his eye he offered a small, reassuring smile.

"Don't come back." General Hammond said. "I'll contact you when it's safe."

Jack nodded. "Yes, sir."

General Hammond left the Gate room, and a moment later they saw him up in the control room, the only person there, and then the chevrons started to light up. Daniel and Sam held their kids back until the blue wave was over, and then they beckoned them forward and into the horizon, holding their hands. Teal'c followed. Jack saluted Hammond, then turned and helped Sara onto the back of the ATV, before climbing on in front of her. "Ready to go, kiddo?" he asked.

Her arms wrapped around his waist, and he felt her lean against him. "Ready as I'll ever be." she said in his ear.

He grinned, and put a hand over hers. "Just hold on." he said. "It's quite a ride." Then he drove into the event horizon.

Sam, Daniel, Teal'c, and the kids were waiting for them on the other side. Jack and Sara rumbled out of the Gate and into the wide, open courtyard in the middle of the tall buildings. Sara looked around with wide eyes. They were really, truly, on another world. The buildings looked vaguely familiar to her, reminiscent of the Pueblo Indians she had learned about in school. Haunting, alien bird calls echoed in the green forests beyond, a breeze blowing warm air around them with the smell of sea salt and a honey-like scent that she assumed came from the plant life and flowers.

Sam and Daniel were smiling, the lines around their eyes seeming to relax. Holding the hands of her boys, Sam tipped her head. "Come on," she said. "We'll show you our old place."

As they led the way, she and Daniel took turns talking. "Some mining teams have set up camp here since Daniel and I left," she continued. "They've been repairing more of the buildings to make them livable."

"So you guys can pick where you want to stay." Daniel said, readjusting his hold on his sleeping daughter.

"Yeah," Sam agreed. Then she smiled. "Just not _our_ place."

Jack rumbled along behind them as the family walked, Sara still holding his waist, Teal'c now sitting on the end of the trailer. When they reached the 'apartment' building he brought the ATV to a stop and turned it off. Together with Daniel he unloaded everything into the building, depositing his things and Teal'c's packs into the small living quarters next door. Sara set up her things in Sam and Daniel's place. Once everything was as squared away as they could make them in the middle of the night, everyone retired to their separate rooms and cots and fell into an exhausted sleep.

The next morning dawned bright and peaceful, with nothing but the slight hum of insects and the occasional call of a bird. After dressing, Jack and Teal'c headed next door, drawn by the smell of brewing coffee. Daniel was sitting in the kitchen with a large mug, his eyes closed as he inhaled the soothing aroma, but he looked up when he heard them enter. "Morning." He mumbled.

"Morning." Jack said, making his way to the stove. Searching a cupboard he found two more mugs, and filled them both with the strong dark brew still steaming in its pot. Returning to the table he handed one to Teal'c, who had seated himself across from Daniel.

"Thank you." Teal'c said appreciatively, accepting the mug.

"Don't mention it." Jack lifted his own mug and took a deep drink, feeling the welcome warmth spread from his middle out. "So, what's the plan for the day?"

"Uncle Jack!" Two blond boys suddenly burst from the now-open bedroom door and dashed across the kitchen to him. Both were still in their pajamas. "Can we go fishing now?" Charlie looked up at him hopefully.

"Dad said we could go fishing with you, but we had to wait until you got here." Jacob said.

"Well I appreciate you waiting till I got up." Jack answered, the corner of his mouth pulling to one side as he looked down at them. "Why don't you get dressed and we'll snag some breakfast first."

"Okay!" Turning they ran back to the bedroom, closing the door behind them with a slam.

Daniel flinched at the sharp sound, and took a large drink of coffee. His long hair was rumpled with sleep, and he pushed it back, sighing as he swallowed.

"Chipper little things." Jack commented.

Daniel took another large drink of coffee. "I ended up with a family of morning people." he muttered.

"Is that a bad thing, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked, blinking as he tipped his head. "I myself enjoy the early morning hours."

At Daniel's upward glance at the Jaffa, Jack chuckled. "Looks like you're out of luck, Daniel." he said.

Daniel looked at him from the corner of his eye, yet behind the exasperation Jack saw a faint glimmer of humor. "Tomorrow I'm only making enough coffee for me." Daniel threatened.

Before Jack could come up with a retort there was a step in the kitchen from the direction of the bathroom facilities. "Is Sam around?" Sara asked, leaning on her crutches. Her fully open eyes and relaxed expression marked her as another morning person, and Daniel heaved a sigh and tipped his head in the direction of the bedroom.

"She's getting dressed with Sharé."

Nodding, Sara made her way through the kitchen to the stove, and soon had a cup of coffee all her own. Jack quickly stepped to her side and held out his hand for the mug. "I'll hold that for you." he said quietly.

She glanced at him in surprise. "Thank you."

With an odd pinch in his chest, Jack held the mug and watched her make her way to the table, wondering why she was surprised at such a small gesture– had he been that inconsiderate the last year of their marriage?

Once she had sat down he placed her coffee before her and softly asked, "Cream and sugar?"

Her eyes flickered up to his. "Yes." she said, watching him.

Turning Jack went to the stone cooler Daniel had showed him the night before, and pulled out the container of milk. Then he picked up the box of sugar from the counter, and a spoon, and returned to the table, carefully placing the items before her.

Glancing up she smiled. "Thank you, Jack."

Aware, now, of Daniel and Teal'c watching the interaction, he quickly straightened. "No problem." Grabbing his own empty mug he deposited it in the sink and continued to talk, his back turned. "We're here until the guy is caught, so we might as well take advantage of the forced vacation. I'm going fishing with Jacob and Charlie," he turned and leaned back against the counter, arms crossed. "You coming, Teal'c?"

"Indeed." Teal'c assured with a pleased smile. "I look forward to catching my very first fish."

Jack deliberately looked taken aback. "Hey now! There are fish in my lake!"

Teal'c tipped his chin. "Perhaps there are, O'Neill. It is possible I have simply been unsuccessful thus far in my attempts."

"Darn right." Jack looked at Daniel warningly, and the archaeologist surreptitiously glanced away, raising his mug as a smile tugged at his mouth.

"You haven't changed a bit." Sara sighed humorously, shaking her head.

Glaring at the traitors, Jack turned when the bedroom door opened and Sam arrived, herding her two boys and Sharé out into the kitchen. The little girl started towards Jack, then paused and glanced up at Sam, who smiled. "Sir, Sharé was wondering if she could go along to build sandcastles?" she asked.

"Sure." Jack looked down at the little girl and smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Daniel? You want to come along too?"

"Why not." Moving sluggishly, Daniel pushed his chair back and stood up.

"Daniel," Sam called as he went to leave with Jack. "If you get tired of fishing you could collect those clam-things for supper tonight."

Turning, Daniel's eyes twinkled as he pulled his hair back into a ponytail. "You do remember what happened last time, don't you?"

She smiled sweetly. "Don't worry. You have Jack and Teal'c to protect you this time."

Eyes narrowed he glanced at her, then turned and left, ignoring Jack's guffaw and Teal'c's raised eyebrow. After the men and children left, the boys rushing excitedly forth holding their fishing poles, Sara turned. "So, what did happen the last time?"

Sam fished around in the cooler, shaking her head at the disorganized way the men had shoved the food in the night before. "Actually, it was the _first_ time he went to collect the clams." She grunted, finally pulling free a bag of bagels and container of cream cheese. She stood and grabbed a knife. "Years ago, before we got married, Daniel and I were here on a routine trip when an enemy of ours attacked and damaged the Stargate." At Sara's nervous glance Sam shook her hand, setting the food on the table and sitting down. "Don't worry. They're not a threat anymore."

Sara let out a breath of relief, her mouth curving slightly in a smile.

"Anyway," Sam started spreading cream cheese on two bagel halves. "While we were stuck here he discovered the clams in the lagoon and went to gather some, and was attacked by a large shark-like fish. It tore up his leg, and succeeded in drowning him before I got there." A distant look entered her eyes for a moment, but then she shook her head and handed Sara a bagel half. She smiled. "The steaks were tasty."

Sara's eyes had grown large, but at Sam's final comment she chuckled, accepting the food. "I can't imagine. How in the world did you save him?"

"I shot it with a zat." Sam said, her voice and expression betraying the satisfaction she still felt over that fact. "And when it floated to the surface, stunned, I shot it again."

"And Daniel?"

"Pulled him out," Sam swallowed a bite of bagel. "Did CPR. We somehow made it back here and got his leg taken care of. He doesn't even have a limp."

"No, he doesn't." Then a look of concern crossed Sara's face. "Aren't you worried about your kids down there?"

Sam shook her head. "No. We think it got washed over the reef into the lagoon in a storm, because we never saw one again, not in three years."

"You were here for three years?"

"Yes. Sharé was born here." Sam took a bite of her bagel. "Being alone here gave Daniel and me the time we needed to realize we loved each other."

Shaking her head Sara rested her cheek in her hand, staring.

"So," Sam finished her bagel and then briskly brushed off her hands, standing. "I thought that today we could inventory what we have and get things organized. We might be here for a while." She put a hand to her small belly and absently rubbed it, her thoughts still going a mile a minute. "Then– maybe I could show you some of the things we have available on the island itself, some of the food I used to make?"

Sara's eyes lit up. "I'd love that!"

* * *

As the first fish bit, Jack's eyes lit with sheer delight as he started to reel it in. "Now _that's_ what I'm talking about!" he crowed, stringing the fish and re-baiting his line. The rest of the morning was spent happily reeling in the occasional fish, and soon Teal'c and Daniel had also landed their own. Sharé sat a little ways down the beach, out of range of the flying fishing lines, contentedly building a sand city. Jacob and Charlie, undaunted by the fact that they themselves had yet to catch anything, continued to wildly cast out their lines– happily noting that there were no branches to catch– and then pull them back in, chattering nonstop to each other, alternating between English and their twin language, which never failed to make Jack look at them sideways.

"What does gr'ulki mean?" he finally asked in puzzlement.

Both boys froze and turned large blue eyes on him. "Um–" Jacob glanced at his brother.

"Nothing important." Charlie piped innocently. Jacob fiddled with his fishing pole.

Daniel glanced over and eyed them both knowingly. "Jacob, Charlie…"

"What?"

"Come on."

Glancing at one another they sighed and scuffled their feet, looking embarrassed. "It means… really tall, old man." Jacob finally said.

There was a snort of laughter that was quickly, if with difficulty, cut off. Jack glanced sideways at his long-haired friend, who to his credit was doing a marvelous job of hiding his mirth and focusing instead on his fishing pole. Then he glanced back at the boys who were still shuffling, watching him with wide eyes and expressions that were torn between a desire to laugh and fear of his reaction.

"Oh." He blinked at them. "Sweet."

Sharing a look the two boys finally let themselves start to giggle, and giggle, and giggle. Suddenly Charlie's line zipped out, and he grabbed his pole and held on tightly. "Dad! I got one!"

After a few minutes struggle, with advice both from Daniel and Jack and encouragement from Jacob and Teal'c, he managed to land his first fish. Jack watched his excitement as he held up the line and admired the fish on the end of it, its scales glinting in the sunlight, and the sight brought back memories of his own Charlie with his first catch. Then, just like all those years ago, Jack found himself crouching down in front of the boy and saying, "Let's get it on the stringer, okay? Then you can keep fishing."

Thirty minutes later Charlie had caught his second fish, and Jacob had sat down in the sand with a scowl, still casting his line and reeling it in to no avail. "It's not fair." he muttered, blinking hard. He picked up a pebble and threw it as hard as he could into the water.

"You'll catch one, Jacob." Charlie reassured him, throwing out his line. "It'll happen just like that– zzzzzzz!" he copied the sound of a whirring line.

"Yeah right." Jacob retorted. At that moment his line suddenly whirred, just like Charlie had said. Clambering to his feet he gripped his pole tightly. "I got one! I got one!"

As the men surround him to guide and cheer him on, Jacob manfully fought his opponent, and slowly reeled in a very large fish. Its size was exclaimed over, its color studied and praised, and he happily and proudly carried the struggling fish to the stringer, trying to avoid tripping over the flapping tail.

When they all went back to fishing Sharé walked up, scuffing her bare feet in the sand, her sandals held by her fingertips. "Daddy," she called. "I'm hungry."

Checking their watches, Jack and Daniel both squinted at the time. "I guess it is time for lunch." Daniel said. "You want to go back up and ask Mom to make something for us?"

"Okay." Blond pigtails bouncing, she skipped away, humming to herself.

Bouncing in through the kitchen door, Sharé dropped her sandals to the floor and went to the table, laying her arms on its surface. "Mommy, we're all getting hungry. Daddy told me to come and tell you."

Sam smiled and stood up. "I thought it was about that time." She said, going to the cooler. Pulling out a plastic bag of sandwiches she carefully slid it into a small knapsack and handed it to the little girl. "Don't run, okay?"

"Okay!" Taking the knapsack, Sharé headed out the door, leaving her sandals behind, forgotten.

Daniel looked up when the sound of humming reached his ears, and turning he saw his little girl skipping down to them, a small knapsack held tightly in her hand. "Hey, honey!"

"Hi Daddy!" Reaching him she held the sack up. "Here."

"Thank you." Taking the knapsack he unzipped the top and peered in. "Looks like we've got sandwiches. Ham." he said to Jack.

"Mm. My favorite." Jack replied, leaning back in his folding chair with his hat over his face.

Pulling out the bag Daniel opened it and handed a sandwich to Sharé. "Sit down here and eat it, okay?" he said, and she nodded, already chewing a rather large mouthful. "Boys, time for lunch!" he called.

Jacob and Charlie reeled in their lines and very, very carefully set their fishing poles down, as Jack had instructed them. Then they came running. Daniel looked at their dirt and sand covered hands and raised his eyebrows. "I don't think so," he said. "Go wash those hands off! Over there, in the water."

Heaving suffering sighs the boys made their way down to the water's edge, standing for a moment and watching the surf swirl around their feet before they leaned down and splashed their hands, rubbing them hard together. When they returned they held their hands out for Daniel to scrutinize, which he did with a heavy marked frown, turning their hands over and around so that he could study between every finger while they watched him with worried expressions. Then he smiled at them and pulled out two sandwiches. "Well done. Here you go, just keep them out of the sand."

With the three kids taken care of Daniel then distributed the remaining sandwiches amongst Jack, Teal'c, and himself. After they finished eating they set the empty plastic bag in the knapsack and returned to fishing. Sharé, still keeping clear of her brothers lines, splashed happily in the surf and squished her toes in the wet sand.

For a good part of the afternoon they continued to fish, until Daniel looked at his watch and set down his pole. "Alright. Time for clamming." he announced, snagging the bucket he had brought. Rolling up the bottom of his pants he headed for the water's edge. As he walked in up to his knees and started to search the sand with his toes Jacob and Charlie suddenly joined him, heedless of their now entirely soaked pants.

"What you doing, Daddy?" Jacob asked while Charlie bent over to peer into the water.

"Looking for clams." Daniel said.

"With your toes?" Charlie wrinkled his nose as he watched Daniel's feet.

"Yep."

"Why?"

"Because these clams live in the sand, so you have to feel with your toes and pop them out– like that!" A clam suddenly popped into view under the ministrations of Daniel's toe. The boys exclaimed in delight.

"Coooool!" Charlie's little hand splashed into the water to grab the clam, and as he bent low to reach it he was successfully soaked the rest of the way. Standing he held the tightly closed shell in his hands, and Jacob leaned close to see.

"Gross." he said, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Can we help?"

"Sure." Daniel grinned. "Just feel in the sand with your toes like this, okay? And then scooch them out when you feel one."

Peering intently into the water Jacob and Charlie dug their feet into the sand and then began to slowly walk forward, their toes occasionally poking above the ever-shifting sand.

An hour later the bucket held enough clams for a large pot of chowder, and Daniel called it good, much to his sons' disappointment. "We have to take the fish up to Mom so that we can have them for supper." Daniel said, then he leaned down and beckoned the boys close with his finger. "Of course first we need to cut them open and clean out their guts!"

"Ew, Daddy! Gross!" Sharé's voice reached them from the shore. Jacob and Charlie giggled.

"Can we help gut them?" Charlie asked.

"We even have our own knives!" Jacob pointed out.

Daniel chuckled, and started to wade back to shore. "Maybe."

Jack lifted his hat from his face as they approached, and fitted it onto his head. "Time to go?"

Daniel nodded.

With a deep breath Jack stood up and then stretched, long and hard. "Alright," he sighed, and picked up his folding chair. Teal'c did the same, and Jack looked at him. "How you doing, big guy?" he asked.

"I am doing well, O'Neill." Teal'c replied, his dark face smooth and relaxed. "The sun and salt air has been most conducive to healing. My shoulder is not as stiff as it was."

"Sweet." Jack's mouth quirked. "See, fishing is the intergalactic cure!"

Though one eyebrow raised, Teal'c tipped his chin in acknowledgement. Still, there was a look of unbelief as he retrieved the string of fish they had caught that day, that it was the fishing that helped and not the fresh air and sun.

Sara and Sam looked up when the two boys and their father came squelching into the kitchen, followed by an exasperated looking Sharé and a relaxed Jack and Teal'c.

"Mommm! Jacob and Charlie keep talking to me about fish guts!" Sharé complained.

"And I bet the biggest fish guts smell the worst!" Jacob announced, causing Charlie to laugh and Sharé to wrinkle her nose.

"Momm!" she wailed.

Sara chuckled, and Sam raised an eyebrow. "Alright, boys. Go help your dad with the fish, and Sharé, you can stay here with me and Sara, okay?"

Rolling her eyes with a sigh of relief, the little girl clambered up onto one of the kitchen chairs and sat down. Jack chuckled and followed Daniel and the boys, and Teal'c, with a smile and the string of fish, nodded at Sam and Sara and then left as well. A minute later echoing cries of "Gross!" and "Cool!" came from the courtyard.

After the fish had been cleaned and filleted, Sam set it over a fire in the courtyard to grill, and then returned to the kitchen. Sara sat at the table, cutting up the fruit Sam had collected when she had taken a nap. It had barely been five days since her accident, and she still felt terribly tired and sore. Even now her leg ached, and she paused a moment in the cutting of the fruit to reach down and rub the cast. Sam noticed, and checked her watch. "Time for your evening meds," she surmised, and Sara breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness."

Sam looked at her sympathetically, and went to retrieve the medicine from Sara's room. When she came back she got a glass of water and set the bottle and the glass beside the fruit.

After the fruit was done Sara put it all into a bowl and mixed it. Sam, meanwhile, had rummaged through the supplies sent with them and pulled out a box of rice and a can of beets. Opening the box she measured the rice into a pot with some water and set that on the stove to cook, and opened the can of beets and put that in another pot on the stove to heat up.

* * *

Late that evening, the kids were sleeping, Teal'c had retired, and Daniel, Sam, Jack, and Sara sat around the campfire in the courtyard. Sam yawned and stood.

"I've got to give up, goodnight."

Daniel stood. "Goodnight all." He followed her into the house.

It was silent except for the crackling of the fire and occasional unidentified rustlings in the jungle.

Jack poked the coals with a stick. "So, how's the leg?"

"Doing okay, aches a lot, but I'm told that means it's healing."

"Good. That's good."

Sara shifted on the bench. "Ummm, thanks for the flowers, by the way."

Jack poked the fire harder. "You're welcome."

"So, this is what you've been doing all these years." Sara gestured at their surroundings in an all-encompassing way. "The Gate is pretty unbelievable."

He nodded. "Yeah." Moving coals around with the tip of his stick, he paused. "I should have told you."

"I would have thought you were nuts." She laughed. "At least, I would have before your clone showed up. You know…" she traced a pattern on the bench seat. "We never finished that conversation."

"Well, he had to get back home, and then …"

"I know."

They sat in silence for a while.

Sara suddenly chuckled. "You still think there are actually fish in that lake of yours?"

"Yes!" Jack stood. "I better get some rest and you should too. Especially since we're morning people."

"Poor Daniel."

Jack chuckled as they went in.

* * *

The next morning Daniel walked out to find _everyone_ already in the kitchen, chatting good-naturedly and drinking coffee. Some had already had breakfast; remains of his children's food sat on plates on the table, and he could hear their laughter and shouts as they played outside. Sam smiled at him, and went to the stove and poured him a cup of hot coffee.

"Good morning." She said, holding out the cup. "Here."

Daniel accepted the cup, and one corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. Then he sat down at the table and became completely absorbed with his coffee. Jack paced behind him, his brows dark and pulled together.

"I don't like this." he muttered. "Hammond should have contacted us by now. How hard is it to find one guy in a locked down base?"

"It is possible he has a thorough knowledge of the base and is able to escape detection, O'Neill." Teal'c pointed out.

"Well how long do we wait?!" Jack snarled. He was a man of action; one day of relaxation was enough. Now he wanted to _do_ something.

Teal'c looked thoughtful. "I believe a full forty-eight hours would be acceptable to General Hammond."

Jack heaved a great sigh. "Fine. Tomorrow it is. Now when tomorrow arrives, what's the plan?"

It was Daniel's turn to sigh. "Could we maybe plan later today? It's only eight o'clock."

Giving his friend a glare, Jack admitted defeat. "I'm going fishing." he groused, and left.

Teal'c rose from his seat. "I believe I will also fish." he said.

As he left, Sara also rose and left to get dressed. Daniel finished his coffee, then stood, and turned around to find Sam close by, watching him. He smiled. Reaching out he pulled her close, and she hugged him, then gave a little giggle as he nibbled on her neck. Then her cheeks turned bright red at his whispered words, and he lifted his mouth from her ear and grinned, his eyes twinkling.

"Go get dressed!" she scolded, pushing him playfully.

After lunch, Sharé went outside to the courtyard, and began digging in the dirt to plant a flower. The boys were running around inside, playing a game of hide and seek. Sam, Daniel, and Sara decided to go down to the beach and see how the fishing was going, and to take down a lunch for the two fishermen.

Jack looked up at them from under his fishing hat, and pulled his sunglasses off. "I was wondering if I was going to have to eat raw fish!" he called, setting his pole down and standing up.

Teal'c also stood, smiling, and indicated the line of two decently-sized fish. "The morning has been good, Daniel Jackson." he said. "There are more fish here than in O'Neill's lake.

Daniel nodded in admiration. "I can see that."

"Hey!" Jack exclaimed. "That's cause they're all still small! No dissing the lake!"

Sara shook her head.

Suddenly, the air was shattered by an echoing gunshot, followed by the screams of the children.

Without a word Daniel and Sam took off running, with Jack and Teal'c following. Sara followed as quickly as she could on her crutch, her eyes wide with horror as she cursed the handicap of a casted leg.

Their hearts pounding with terror, Daniel and Sam burst into the building and followed the screams of their children into the bedroom.

Sharé was standing in the doorway, her hands to her face, screaming. Charlie was sitting on the floor, sobbing, his hands on his brother. They were stained with blood.

Beside him lay Daniel's gun.

"Jacob!" Sam shrieked as she fell to the floor beside her son.

"Mommy–" Jacob cried, tears rolling down his cheeks as he held his side. "I'm sorry– we were just looking–" Sam pulled his hands away to reveal a graze just over an inch long. Sam pressed her hand to it to stop the bleeding, and gently brushed his hair back, trying to sooth him.

"Jacob! Charlie, what happened?" Daniel grabbed the bag next to the bed and pulled out a first aid kit.

Charlie sat back, hugging himself, his little body heaving with sobs. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Daddy! We just wanted to look, and it went off! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Daniel opened the first aid kit. "How is he?" he asked Sam.

"It's just a graze." she said with forced calm, though tears were standing out in her eyes. "I think it just needs a few stitches. Shh, it's okay, sweetie. You're going to be okay. It's just a little cut."

Daniel pulled out a small pack with a prepped syringe of local anesthesia, and opened the pack. "It's okay," he reassured his son, swabbing an area by the cut and giving him the shot. "We'll give you a bandaid, and you'll be just fine."

Jack and Teal'c stood in the doorway, breathing heavily, the cords standing out in the big Jaffa's neck. Jack stared at the scene before him, his face white.

Then Sara arrived. She limped in through the doorway, gasping for breath, sweat beaded on her forehead, pale with worry. She looked in and saw the gun on the floor, and the little boy lying on the ground, blood on his clothes.

She fainted.

Jack managed to catch her before she hit the floor, his arms going around her and holding her close to him. He looked up, and his eyes met Daniel's. "You okay?" he asked, his voice rasping.

Daniel nodded.

Lifting Sara in his arms, Jack carried her away from the room.

Teal'c remained in the doorway. "Can I be of assistance?" he asked.

Sam looked up, and nodded. Her eyes shifted to her daughter, who was staring at her brother with huge frightened eyes and tears running down her white cheeks. Without needing any other indication Teal'c immediately went to the little girl and bent down, extending his arms and wrapping her in them. "Come, Sharé." he said in a low, calming tone. "Your brother Jacob is in no danger."

Sharé sniffed and wrapped her little arms around his neck, burying her head in his shoulder. "Is he going to be okay?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"Indeed." Teal'c reassured her, standing with her in his arms. "Your mother and father will bandage his cut, and he will be fine." Continuing to talk to her in a soothing tone, Teal'c left the room, suggesting that they retrieve the fish from the beach.

As Sam pulled out a needle and thread, Daniel turned to Charlie, who still sat huddled on the floor, crying. He reached out and pulled him into his lap, gathering him into his arms. "Shh." he said, stroking Charlie's hair. "It's okay. Jacob's okay. See?" he moved to sit by Jacob's head, and he reached down with one hand and took Jacob's hand, smiling down at him. "It's just a cut. It's okay."

"I'm sorry, Daddy!" Charlie's voice was muffled by Daniel's shirt.

"I know; it's okay. I forgive you." Daniel rocked slightly. Soon he was rewarded with a lessening in the boy's tears, and Charlie shifted, turning to look down at his brother. Jacob looked up, lines of dried salt on his cheeks, as Charlie put a little hand on his shoulder. "See?" Daniel said. "He's okay."

"Almost done." Sam said. "There!" Taking some antiseptic she swabbed the injury and then taped some gauze over it.

Jacob squeezed Daniel's hand, and his eyes filled with tears afresh. "I'm sorry too, Daddy!" he whimpered.

"I forgive you," Daniel said, and gave him a small smile.

In Sara's room, Jack laid her on her bed, and brushed her hair back from her damp forehead. His own was creased with concern. "Sara?"

There was a small moan, and then her eyes fluttered open. For a second she just blinked up at him. Then her eyes widened with horror and raw grief, and she surged up with a cry, her hands clutching his arms. "Oh my God! Jack!" she cried, her eyes welling up. "It's happening again! It's Charlie– it's– Oh God!"

"No– no," Jack held her face, brushing her hair back, his eyes burning into hers even as his own began to fill. "It's Jacob, and he's okay. He's okay. He was just grazed."

She began to sob. "Not again, Jack–"

He closed his eyes as tears began to run down his lined, weathered face, and he pulled her close, pressing his mouth to her hair. "I'm so sorry." he rasped; images of their Charlie flashed through his mind, over and over again. "I'm so sorry. I should have been there– I should have been there for you."

She shook her head against his chest, her shoulders shaking. Her hair tickled his nose. "It wasn't your fault!" she gulped. "It wasn't– it was not your fault! Not your fault!"

She felt his arms tighten around her, till they shook with tension and she could hardly breathe, and she heard the sharp jerks in his breath, her forehead growing wet with his tears. The grief rose up within her afresh, and she wept into his chest, saying again and again "not your fault!" even as he whispered in her ear "I shouldn't have left you."

For a long time they simply sat, holding each other.

Later that afternoon, after sitting and reading storybooks together, both boys were asleep taking a nap in their bed, exhausted by the ordeal. Teal'c and Sharé were still down on the beach, building castles, finding shells, and otherwise passing the time. Jack and Sara had not emerged from her room.

Daniel and Sam went to the kitchen, both drained and exhausted. Going to the stove Daniel made a very strong pot of coffee, and poured a cup for himself. Sam pulled out a Hershey bar and started eating it. As she sat at the table, her face became more and more grim, her eyes flattening with anger. Suddenly she turned on him, her eyes narrowed. "Daniel, where did you have your gun? Why didn't you have it in a safe place?"

"I did!" Daniel snapped. "I had it in its locked case, unloaded, up on the closet shelf, out of their reach!"

"Well it obviously _wasn't_ out of their reach, was it? How'd they get the key?" she shrilled.

Daniel spread his hands. "I don't know! Maybe they took it out of our pack– I don't know!"

"Do you know what could have happened?"

"You think I don't?!"

"He could have died! What kind of father are you?!" Sam burst into hard tears, pressing her hand to her face.

Daniel stepped towards her. "Sam…"

As he reached for her she slapped his hands away, and then her palm connected with his face. The moment the resounding crack filled the room his face changed, his eyes burning. "It wasn't my fault!" he shouted.

"It was your gun!" she yelled back. "Your gun, Daniel, not mine!"

A door suddenly slammed open, and Jack stood there, his shirt unbuttoned, his face livid with fury. Behind him stood Sara, an equal expression of shock and anger on her face.

"Enough! Both of you!" Jack barked. Then he strode into the kitchen. "Outside. Now." he hissed at Daniel.

Daniel gave him a withering glare, then he stalked away and out into the courtyard, followed closely by Jack.

Sara limped in on her walking cast and grabbed Sam's arm. "Into my room. Do you want to wake up the boys and have them hear you two fight? Shame on you!"

Sam allowed herself to be ushered into the bedroom, where she turned and faced Sara in defiance. Sara closed the door, and pointed.

"Sit."

At the tone of her voice, Sam sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Now what on earth was that all about?"

"Jacob could have _died_ because of Daniel's carelessness!" Sam exclaimed, her eyes welling again even as her lip quivered with fury. "How can I forgive that?"

Sara stepped forward, her eyes snapping. "You selfish little brat!" she hissed, grabbing Sam's shoulders. "Don't you ever, ever say that again. Ever. It could have just as easily been _your_ gun! And your boy is alive! Jack and I– we'd give anything, ANYTHING for our little boy to be as lucky! You were both careful, but kids are just _kids_. They get into everything. You can only protect them so much, Sam." Sara paused, and took a deep breath. Her eyes misted, but she rallied and went on. "And if you and Daniel can't forgive each other, how will your little boys ever believe that you forgive them?"

Sam pressed a hand to her mouth, tears spilling from her eyes. Sara shook her slightly. "You still have your little boy, Sam. _You still have your little boy_." Sam began to cry, and Sara put her arms around her as her own eyes filled again and she began to weep.

Daniel stalked out into the courtyard, shaking, his mind a red haze. When a hand suddenly touched his shoulder he rounded about, his eyes blazing. "What?!" he shouted. "What, Jack? This is none of your business, okay!"

"Anything that happens under my command is my business. So grow up!" Jack retorted.

"Oh," Daniel shot back. "So my family business is under _your_ command?"

Jack snorted. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I suppose you think this is my fault, too." Daniel yelled, shaking his fist and pacing furiously. "What more was I supposed to do, huh?"

"Nothing!" Jack exclaimed.

"I suppose I should have had the ammo in another room, or I could have carried the key in my pocket, or…"

"Daniel, there was nothing you could have done."

Daniel swung around on Jack. "They're only seven! What was I doing leaving them alone? What was I thinking?"

"Daniel! It's okay!"

"No it's not! Shut up, Jack! It's not okay! Sam's right– I'm crap for a father–" Daniel grabbed one of the rock's that ringed the fire pit and threw it at the wall fountain.

"Hey! What is the matter with you?" Jack snapped. "Nobody can control what their kids do– nobody! Doesn't matter how careful you are! _Accidents happen_."

Daniel grabbed another rock as Jack was talking, and at Jack's words he whirled around, holding the rock back as though to throw. Jack's eyes narrowed at the threat. "Oh, what you going to do now, _hit me_? 'Cause your kid got hurt?"

Daniel yelled and swung, missing Jack by inches as the older man sidestepped and swung himself, his fist smashing into Daniel's face. As Daniel spun about and fell to one knee, holding his nose, Jack dropped down behind him and grappled him into a bear hug, refusing to let go when Daniel tried to shrug him off.

"Daniel, your kid's alive." Jack said into his friend's ear. "He's alive. And it wasn't your fault; just like it wasn't mine." He paused and took a deep breath. "Just like it wasn't mine."

* * *

That evening was a quiet one. Though the children and Teal'c looked frequently and questioningly at Sam's puffy and bloodshot eyes, and Daniel's bloody and bruised nose, they did not ask any questions, but let the matter lie. The Jackson family went early to bed, and Teal'c excused himself to do his Kel No Reem in his room. Jack and Sara shared a glance, and then stood and cleared away the dishes from supper. After the kitchen was clean, Sara gently reached out, taking Jack's hand, and led the way to her room. The door clicked shut behind them.

* * *

The next morning broke slowly, torrential rains darkening the sky, making it impossible to tell the time. The children arrived, and Teal'c showed up in the kitchen for his morning coffee, and then Daniel, who stood at the back window with his cup and stared into the courtyard. Sam walked over to the window and they stared into the rain together, holding hands. When Sara's door opened, they swung around to see Jack and Sara emerge, rumpled and sleepy, his arm supporting her to the table. She sat down, he kissed the top of her head, and looked up at Daniel whose eyebrow was raised.

"What?"

Daniel shrugged. "Nothing."

Jack poured a cup of coffee, and took a careful sip. "Okay," he announced. "Hammond's forty-eight hours are up. What are we going to do?"

"Do?"

"Yes, Daniel, do!"

Teal'c raised an eyebrow in thought. "O'Neill, it would seem the perpetrator is a master at hiding and evasion, thus making it difficult for Hammond to apprehend him. Perhaps a lure?"

Jack leaned forward. "Go on."

"This man wishes you harm. Would he not take the opportunity to injure you if you were available?"

Jack stared at Teal'c. "Brilliant! Let's go." He turned on his heel, gesturing to Teal'c and Daniel.

"What– we can't all leave." Daniel frowned. "Besides, Hammond would kill us!"

Jack paused and lifted his chin to look around the room at the anxious faces of the women and children. "You're right." he said, his expression solemn. "I'll go alone. I'm the one the guy wants."

Daniel's face grew grim, and he stood. "I'm going with you." he raised a hand when Jack began to protest. "He threatened my wife and kids, Jack."

Teal'c nodded solemnly. "I will stay."

Jack looked ready to argue, then studying Daniel's face, he changed his mind. "Okay," he agreed. "Let's go. We'll decide how we're going to lure this guy out once we get there and talk to Hammond."

As they gathered their packs, Teal'c watched calmly from his place at the table with Sharé on his lap. Sam quietly handed Daniel his gun and his holster.

She swallowed. "Be careful."

He looked at her, and then pulled her into a crushing hug, his face buried in her neck. His eyes shut tightly. "I love you." he whispered.

Jack stood at the door holding his pack, awkwardly turning to look into the kitchen at Sara. Her eyes glittered with unshed tears.

For a moment Jack hesitated. Then he strode over to her side, and lifting her chin with his finger, he bent and kissed her, his lips tender against hers. Her eyes slid shut, releasing a breath. Then he lifted his head and looked down at her, before giving her an impish grin. "I'll be back soon." he promised.

Sara's eyes clung to Jack as he and Daniel left the room, watching as they ran through the pouring rain in the direction of the Stargate. Then she turned and sat down heavily at the table.

"I forgot what it's like, wondering if they'll come home." she quavered.

"I try not to think about it." Sam said with determined calm. Then she chuckled. "Why don't we make a treat for the kids?"

Sara sat up straighter. "Okay. Good idea." She nodded in resolution, and stood and went to the supply box to look at her choice of ingredients.

Meanwhile, soaked to the bone and shivering, Jack and Daniel dialed out, sending their signal so they could come through. Hammond's voice suddenly crackled over the radio.

_"O'Neill! What in blue blazes are you doing_?"

"We're coming through, General. We'd appreciate an open door when we arrive. Be a bit messy if it's shut."

"_Very well_!" Hammond sounded grim.

Jack and Daniel stepped into the blue and moments later stepped out into the gate room, and into the gaze of a very irate General.

Hammond stepped up to them and spoke in a low tone. "Follow me." He turned and strode off down the halls to a non-descript section of the base, where he entered a heavily guarded room. He sat down at a small table and gestured for them to do the same. Guards ringed the room.

"Why here?" Jack looked around curiously.

"It's a fallout section, solid metal ceiling and walls. Figured it was more secure. Now, Jack, _why on earth_ are you back?"

"After forty-eight hours, I'm thinking that this guy is too smart to get caught, so I thought we should lure him out. I'm going to be the bait."

General Hammond studied Jack. "I don't like it, but– we haven't had much success looking for him. What did you have in mind?"

"Detention level, something with good access to a ventilation shaft. Make it look like you're detaining me for 'my own good'." Jack said, and snorted.

"And me." said Daniel.

"Yeah, and Tonto here." Jack gestured.

Daniel's gaze swung to Jack. "And I suppose that makes you the Lone Ranger?"

"Darn tootin'."

"Well," Daniel frowned. "What if I don't want to be Tonto?"

"Huh, well–" Jack looked thoughtful. "You could be the horse– 'Hey ho Silver! Away!!!'" He raised his eyebrows.

Daniel stared. "I– never mind. Me Tonto."

A rueful, disbelieving chuckle escaping him, General Hammond shook his head.

* * *

Jack growled at the guard who pushed him on down the hall. Daniel was beside him, being jostled by two guards, and he finally spun and looked over his shoulder, giving the men a withering glare. "Hey!"

"General Hammond!" Jack shouted.

"I'm sorry, Jack, but it's for your own good. If you didn't want to be detained, then you shouldn't have come back before my say-so." Hammond replied, following along behind the group of guards.

"He's after _me_! I should be doing something– I should be going after the guy and stopping him! Not hiding!"

"Well, when you're in charge of Stargate Command, then you can do what you want. Until then, it's not your call." Hammond said. He stopped at the door to the isolation room and hooked Jack with his stare, waiting.

Jack shook his head. "No, General, I'm not…" One of the guards shoved him into the room, cutting off his protest. Daniel followed, stumbling through the door.

"What about my wife and kids?" Daniel demanded, his jaw clenched in frustration.

"We'll send for them and Sara and Teal'c when the situation is under control." Hammond said calmly. "Until then, you're to stay here."

Daniel lunged for the door. "General…!"

The door slammed shut and locked. The two men's muffled shouts and the sound of thumping could be heard. Hammond turned to one of the guards. His face was grim.

"Under no circumstances are you to let anyone in or out of that room." He ordered. "Understand?"

The guard saluted him. "Yes, sir!"

Nodding, Hammond shot a final look at the door, and then left with the rest of the guards.

The night was quiet, and very dark. There had already been two shift changes with the guard, and eventually Hammond himself had come down to inquire after his 'prisoners.' The guard informed him that the two men had been quiet for the past few hours, and that there had been no other disturbances. Hammond nodded, his mouth a thin line as he left. He felt uneasy.

Within the room Jack and Daniel lay on their cots. Jack lay on his back, his hands folded, his face relaxed in apparent sleep. Daniel was on his side, his arm tucked under his head.

Outside the door, there was a slight muffled grunt, and then silence. A faint rasping sound in the lock alerted them; but their breathing never changed. The door swung silently open. Jack jerked away as he sensed the blow, miscalculating by a hair's-breadth– and the knife slithered under and across his jaw line, leaving a streak of numbness that began to burn with fire a moment later. The momentum of his movement threw Jack from the bed to the floor, and he slapped a hand to the underside of his jaw. He felt warmth and wetness on the palm of his hand, and between his fingers. A fist suddenly grabbed his jacket, and Jack struck out, catching the man's other hand as he tried to strike again with the combat knife. They both struggled for leverage, straining silently, sweat beading on their foreheads as the knife glinted in the faint light that peeked in from under the door.

Managing to get his knee up Jack flexed his foot so his toe was against the guy, and then he kicked, letting go of the man's arm so that he went flying back. In the momentary reprieve Jack leapt to his feet, only to hear a hissed growl, and then he was barreled into.

Daniel threw on the light, and froze. Before him was their elusive attacker. He was holding Jack before him. He had a knife at Jack's throat. Jack was holding the man's arm with obvious tension, trying to keep the knife at bay.

Every muscle tense and thrumming with adrenaline, Daniel stared at the face of their attacker. "Colonel Newman?"

Newman grinned. "Ah, so you do remember me."

"Newman! What on earth…?" Jack gritted.

"Shut up, O'Neill!" Newman spat. "You ruined my life! After your betrayal, not only did the NID deny that we were working for them, but I got court-martialed! Jailed! I lost my wife and kids, and any hope I had of working in the Air Force ever again. I lost everything!"

"Then maybe you shouldn't have been _stealing_ from our allies!" Daniel retorted.

"We were saving Earth!"

Daniel scoffed. "No you weren't. You were mercenaries, looking for justification for your actions."

Newman's eyes narrowed and grew dark. Looking down at Jack, his gaze grew mocking. "Aw, look. He's already bleeding."

Daniel bared his teeth, refusing to look at Jack's bloody jaw and neck.

"That's 'cause you missed, you wash-out!" Jack gasped.

At that moment Jack surged backwards, throwing him and Newman onto the floor. Daniel dove, aiming for the knife that glinted in the light. Together the three men rolled and grappled on the floor, crashing into a cot and then into the wall. Finally Jack managed to score the needed blow, and the knife went clattering several feet away.

Daniel fisted Newman's shirt in his one hand, and then punched him in the face. "You threatened my wife and kids!"

Newman sneered with bloodied lips. "Wouldn't you like to know what I would do to that pretty wife and girl of yours _before_ they died?"

Daniel roared and drew back his fist, and hit him again. Newman fell back to the floor. Then Daniel stood and began to kick him, over and over, shouting at him in a different language– causing Jack to raise his eyebrows. Crawling slowly to a cot, Jack used it as leverage to help lift himself to his feet, and then he sat down heavily on the cot's edge. Pulling the case off of the pillow he bunched it up and pressed it under his chin, hissing as the contact set off the painful burning again. Then he glanced at his left arm, and at the decent sized cut on the forearm and across the palm of his hand. With a sigh he lifted his arm above shoulder level, and then returned his attention to Daniel's assault upon Newman.

There was a loud commotion in the hall, and Jack looked up to see Hammond and several guards arrive at the door, armed and ready. On the hall floor he saw the body of the guard that had been posted. His heart grew heavy. They had finally caught their man, but at a price.

Hammond looked at Jack, and then his gaze swung to Daniel, who had finally stepped back, breathing hard, his fiery blue eyes still furious. The unconscious body of Newman lay crumpled at his feet.

Looking up, Daniel noticed the company for the first time. "Hi, General." he said.

Hammond stared at him, and blinked.

* * *

Sam and Sara stepped out of the shimmering blue and into the Gate room, followed by Sharé, Charlie, and Jacob, all herded by Teal'c. General Hammond met them, his demeanor calm and pleased, a small smile on his face. "Welcome home." he said warmly.

Sam smiled with relief. "Thank you, General."

He nodded. "After you have settled the children in your quarters, you may go visit Jack and Daniel in the infirmary."

Sara's eyes grew wide. "Is Jack…?"

"He's fine." Hammond reassured her. "They're both fine; they just needed a few stitches." The twinkle in his eye made Sam raise an eyebrow.

The sleepy children were tucked into bed, and then the two women made their way to the infirmary, where Teal'c had already arrived. They found him standing beside the bed where Jack was laying on top of the covers, his chin swathed in large gauze pads and his left arm bandaged and in a sling. Daniel sat in a chair on the other side of the bed, his arm sporting a large square of gauze taped into place, while the knuckles of both hands were scabbing over. He held a large cup of steaming, rich coffee. Both men's faces were purpling and swelling in different places. Their appearance told of a hard-won fight.

Jack's eyes lit up when he saw Sara walking towards him with her crutch, her pale eyes wide with worry and tenderness. "Hey." he said, holding out his right hand.

Sara took it and carefully sat down on the edge of the bed. "Hey," she returned. Her eyes flickered to the bandages under his chin.

"I'm alright." he reassured her. "Just some stitches. For a killer he had remarkably bad aim."

Sighing with relief, Sara smiled, and then she leaned forward and planted her mouth upon his in a kiss. With much enthusiasm, Jack returned it.

Daniel watched with a grin, and then he looked up at his own wife. His blue eyes were soft. "How's Jacob?"

Sam crossed her arms as she turned her eyes from the bed to her husband. "He's fine." she said. Then she tipped her head and squinted one eye, surveying her husband's damage. "In fact, I think he's in much better shape than you are."

"Thank heavens." Daniel said.

Just then Hammond entered the room with Janet. They were talking quietly together, but then Hammond addressed the small group. "He's out of surgery, and being taken to a high-security location."

"I still can't believe that this Colonel Newman held a grudge against you for so long." Sara said.

"Yeah, well." Jack shrugged. "We worked pretty close together during that mission, and when he found out I was working as a double agent–" he trailed off. "Enough said."

"Well, you won't have to worry about him anymore. Not ever." Hammond said. "The trial will be fast, and justice swift."

Jack nodded with grim satisfaction. "Good."

Daniel stood up slowly, stretching sore muscles. "I'm off to bed."

"Me too." Jack announced, sitting up.

"Ah, ah, ah." Janet held up her hand. "I would like to keep you overnight, Colonel, and make sure everything's okay." She gestured to his chin.

"Ah, come on." Jack groused. "I've had worse. Look– it's just some little cuts–"

Janet shook her head, wearing an expression of fond patience and exasperation. "I'm sorry, Colonel. But it's just for tonight."

Seeing Jack's frown, Sara looked up. "Could I stay with him?"

Jack looked up at her, a mixture of surprise and pleasure in his gaze.

Janet nodded. "I'll get an extra blanket and pillow." Then she left.

Hammond also bade farewell. "We'll have a briefing tomorrow at nine a.m." he said. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, General." Sam said.

He left.

Teal'c nodded at Jack and Daniel. "I too shall take my leave. I will see you tomorrow."

"'Night, Teal'c." Jack said.

Bowing his head, Teal'c departed.

Sam slipped her arm around Daniel's waist. "Come on," she said. "Let's get you to bed. Goodnight, Colonel."

Daniel turned. "Yeah, goodnight, Jack."

Jack raised his hand.

As they left, Sam asked Daniel in a quiet voice: "So, how are you feeling?"

"Well, you know, there _is_ this spot on my lip that could use some kissing…"

Sam's chuckles faded away down the hall.

Janet returned with the blanket and pillow, and set them up on a reclining chair. "There." she said. "If you need anything else, let me know." With a final smile, and a warning finger at Jack, she left.

Left alone at last, Jack glanced at the chair. Sara also glanced at it, then she looked back at him, her eyebrows raised. With a small smile, Jack held open his right arm. "Come here."

Sara smiled, her gaze affectionate. Crawling into bed she laid down next to him, snuggling against his side as he wrapped his arm around her. He gently kissed her hair, then her forehead, and then the tip of her nose. Sara sighed happily, gently touching the un-bandaged front of his chin with the tip of her finger. Then his mouth found hers, and she was lost for a moment, her eyes sliding closed. When he finally pulled back to look at her, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkling.

Jack smiled.

"You get more beautiful every year." he whispered.

* * *

_The End_


End file.
